PULLMAN, Wash. — (Updated) The 80-foot Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon and its junior remote-controlled sibling are slated to fly over Washington State University’s Pullman campus Tuesday, Oct. 22, as part of a two-day celebration of healthy eating and activity.
The Cosmic Crisp® Day visits are planned in partnership with the women’s tennis team, the WSU Athletics Performance Nutrition program, and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS).
“This event celebrates one of the most popular apples in the world, created right here at WSU,” said Lindsay Brown, associate athletics director for performance nutrition. “We’re excited to showcase our student-athletes and share fan-favorite apples along with recipes and samples that we hope inspire others to fuel their day with good nutrition and healthy activity.”
Events begin at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct, 21, at Hollingbery Fieldhouse, with a pickleball expo and apple sampling featuring the women’s tennis team as well as Tyson McGuffin, former ranked tennis player turned professional pickleball star and Cosmic Crisp® ambassador.
The Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon visit follows on Tuesday, beginning with a sunrise apple and coffee gathering, 6:30-7:30 a.m. at Mooberry Track. The balloon takeoff is planned for 7-7:30 a.m.
The balloon will return to Mooberry Track for a public sampling of apples and healthy recipes with the WSU Athletics Performance Nutrition program from 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Also Tuesday morning, a one-story-tall remote-controlled balloon will hover tethered at Terrell Mall, while a Cosmic Crisp® balloon-shaped inflatable display will help draw visitors to the Cougar Pride statue on Stadium Way.
The balloon visit was originally planned for Monday; inclement weather forecast for that day has delayed the flight and outdoor activities to Tuesday.
“The Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon brings the inspiration to dream big and creates meaningful connections for thousands of people at festivals each year,” said Kathryn Grandy, chief marketing officer for PVM, the marketing company for the apple variety. “We’re thrilled to bring that same excitement to the Pullman campus.”
The visit is part of an ongoing, industry-organized marketing effort for Cosmic Crisp®. Hauled by van, the craft follows balloon festivals around the country that coincide with favorable weather.
Now the number-seven bestselling apple in the U.S., Cosmic Crisp® is a crisp, juicy cross of Honeycrisp and Enterprise that was first bred at WSU’s Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center.
WSU owns the patent on the apple as well as the Cosmic Crisp® trademark. Part of the sale of each box supports scientific discovery at the university. WSU scientists continue to study best practices for the apple’s horticulture, harvest, and storage.
“What started as an idea at WSU has grown to become one of the best-selling apples in the U.S.,” Grandy said. “At the core of this brand is a tremendous amount of Cougar pride.”
Learn more about the Cosmic Crisp® apple at https://cosmiccrisp.com/
Event Details:
– What: Cosmic Crisp® Day at WSU Pullman
– When: Monday and Tuesday, October 21-22, 2024
– Where: Mooberry Track and Hollingbery Fieldhouse, 1555 NE Colorado St., Pullman, WA; Terrell Mall; Cougar Pride Statue
• Contact: Seth Truscott, Communications Coordinator, WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, (509) 335-8164, struscott@wsu.edu