Joe Naiman
Special to the Valley News
The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District has terminated the agreement allowing the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival Association to use the Lake Skinner Recreation Area.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors members are the park district board members, and on March 24 the county supervisors voted 5-0 to terminate the agreement between the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District and the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival Association. The effective termination date will be April 30.
The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival has been at Lake Skinner since 1989 and has been operated by the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival Association, which is a non-profit corporation, since 1991. It was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the coronavirus shutdown. In 2022 the festival generated $62,984.23 in revenue for the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District from event admission, parking, and camping fees.
In May 2023 the county supervisors acting as the park district board approved an agreement for the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival to be held at the Lake Skinner Recreation Area through 2027. The park district general manager or designee was given the authority to approve the annual business plan required by the agreement and to amend the agreement if needed to accommodate future year events which do not significantly change the scope or purpose.
The annual business plan determined the festival event dates for subsequent years. A cost summary, which will be the basis for what the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival Association pays the park district, was created annually based upon requested event amenities and dates. An advance payment of $10,000 was due by the first Monday in January with the remaining balance due by June 30 contingent upon the festival being held early enough for final financial details to be available by that date.
On August 15 the park district invoiced the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival Association for $73,883.72. The invoice was not paid, and on October 17 another invoice was sent. A third invoice was sent November 2, and due to the late fee and interest the invoice amount had increased to $76,100.24.
The 2026 dates which had been reserved for the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival have been rescinded, so the Lake Skinner Recreation Area will be open to the public on those days. The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District will continue efforts to collect the outstanding balance.
