For those about to (yet again) rock, we salute you … Fire.
For the Sky Walkers, they Return To Rock … For what seems like the 40th time around. No. 40 represents a time of perseverance in trial, and nothing says that like launching a Jedi fleet, to do battle. And even here in Hudson, you might see an actual Wookie or Storm Trooper walkin’ around.
The first line is from the stellar hard rock group AC/DC, and features the cannons firing, over and over, much like hot air balloon burners going off. Interestingly, I rediscovered that old gem of a song late last year, which ties this all together, shortly before reading the subject line of the 2026 Hudson Hot Air Affair, (37th time actually from Feb. 6-8), and then rock and rolled by rippin’ through it in karaoke with my mates. Goin’ high. With voice and balloon.
— In my home berg of Hudson, not exactly a primary urban area, a local chef who was detained by ICE was released just in time to be, presumably, back on duty for Super Bowl serving. If dropped back off where he was apparently apprehended, at a Prescott gas station, he coulda not only gassed up, but stocked up, on supplies for making super supreme nachos while enroute back to Hudson.
He had been “housed” at the Whipple building in the St. Paul area, where a law enforcement officer was getting hugs and shrugs for having been struck in the face. Hey, with worse being done to bonafide U.S. citizens who are not criminals, except for maybe a couple of traffic tickets — at that gas station? — the pity party peters out. At another federal building, an ICE sculpture, literally, made up of only anti-agency frozen letters, was massively vandalized. Since this is not exactly Picasso, I’m not too upset. Just don’t mess with those truly cool ice sculptures in Stillwater.
But back to the Super Bowl, butter braised rabbit in Bad Bunny was attemptedly fried out by a since petered out alternative bonanza, we will not say glam. But word has it that — announced at halftime? — the Swedish Chef has kept his job and citizenship, remaining under contract for another year, until the next Super Bowl. —
And as I am writing this, I am watching on video the epic sci fi album Heavy Metal, like Star Wars a legend in its genre. (Is there another such movie out, again?) As these balloons stride through those very heavens, even if getting started via a burner from the fires of hell. That’s the way Sky Walkin’ gets going. And with the big caricatures on the sides of their balloons befitting ol’ Luke and his own Sky Walkin’ that’s very long to survive, like recently honored Gloria Gaynor. For that disco ball is higher than you can normally reach. You need ascension.
So, we go back to the tune’s start … “Stand up and be counted, for what you are about to receive … We give you everything we need.” Sounds very Biblical, doesn’t it? Turns out, that’s because the song and its era, its intro at least, was inspired by a Roman gladiator who salutes Cesar and praises him for the right to battle before his eyes, prior to his death in the arena, (a location much like a balloon launch field?) Stand up and be counted … For what you are about to receive. Glorious. Like Sky Walkers.
Also, on Friday between 5-8 p.m., the Hudson Art Gallery celebrates its new arrival onto the downtown scene with an exhibit by three artists — Kim Gordon, Emily Schollett and Gwen Partin — a great place to go and see before, during and after the torchlight parade. There all weekend is the eat, shop and play at Hudson area businesses and its unique shops and fun places option, with its special promotions and winter sales, at Abigail Page Antiques, Applebees Hudson, BackRoom Vintage, Barker’s Bar and Grill, Beloved Makers and Company, Black Rooster Bistro, Brick’s Neapolitan Pizza, Chapter 2 Books, Cream of the Crop Artists, Grand Fete, Hudson Flower Shop, Hudson United Methodist Church, Jonesy’s Local Bar and Grill, Knoke’s Chocolate and Nuts, Kudos, Mainstream Boutique, Post American Eatery, Rose and Lavender, San Pedro Cafe, SEASONS Gallery, The 715, The Bees Knees and The Purple Tree.
In the battle of the beverage and bites enjoy the chance to win a $50 gift certificate, by going to Barker’s Bar and Grill, Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse, Black Rooster Bistro, Jonesy’s Local Bar and Grill, Key’s Cafe Bakery and Bar, Lucky Guys Distillery, Max’s Social House, Pedro’s Pizza Lounge, Post American Eatery, and St. Croix National Golf and The Grounds Restaurant.
And so our balloons will hopefully go up, in this formerly cold winter of 2025-26, at the Hudson Hot Air Affair from Feb. 6-8. With such a hope, we return to rock in hopes of … rising. With a better result, and higher calling, than the old band Rainbow’s Stargazer and its wizard of such attempt. The launches are at or around dawn on Saturday and also Sunday, and 3 p.m. the first day. There can be a single burner ignited, or a series of them within a short span of distance and time, flaring at once, with one long strap of tarp quickly having its color invigorated, or enough inflated that they come relatively close to bumping as they go into the air.
At 6:15 p.m. Saturday, and going on for about an hour, thousands will watch a similar flame-throw, with either a field of fire with spurts of single spires shooting upward into the night sky, or if the wind is right a full moonglow with as many as five envelopes next to each other suddenly turning bright and colorful at once. This is sponsored by Festival Foods, in their initial foray into Hot Air Affair sponsorship. Another local grocer, Jerry’s Foods, which used to be named County Market, is holding a Count Down Event all-day Jan. 31 to celebrate their store’s transition, and in addition has a coupon in the event’s flyer for a free can of Celsius energy drink, to juice up for the weekend’s events and beyond.
(See more added info and new ways to enjoy this premier hot air ballooning event beneath.)
Friday’s torchlight parade will show more of the same, but with more than the flames shooting and their balloon burners traveling between two-or-more-story brick buildings in blocks through the downtown. There will also be all other sorts of goings on, such as marching bands that may be centered around that legendary instrument that will get the crowd going — the killer kazoo, dozens and dozens or more of them.
Dick’s Bar and Grill is how you start early at the Hot Air Affair, before the often infamous torchlight parade, that ends at its pearly gates, but that part begins on Friday at about 7 p.m. It’s also how you close it down, with fireworks afterwards, as locals will tell you this is their main spot of choice to also, later, get last call.
At Dick’s on Friday, there is a late afternoon happy hour, with a buck off their already low-priced drinks, some of the best buys in town. The timing coincides with the bar’s pre-parade, which runs until 6 p.m. and for a different kind of mug, as a part of that you can stand up and be smilin’ and be photographed making faces while inside the basket of the bar’s own dedicated balloon.
Friday is also some of the lowest price fish fry, all you can (my edit) be convinced to eat of two different versions, in Hudson. It comes with at least two sides, picking from two different categories. What you get, two outta three ain’t bad. (Just no Meatloaf. He passed on.)
Back to Dick’s. Saturday night is the traveler’s steak special, for those wanting to stay light on their feet for dancing later. It’s topped with bleu cheese butter, sauteed onions and mushrooms. Three outta three ain’t bad either.
As far as deejay music, Dick’s is some of the most creative, with a very urban sound interspersed with other styles, that as mentioned elsewhere on this site has a rockier edge, late on both Friday and Saturday nights. (If trying to be hip, this is your most likely place in town to encounter someone looking like Snoop Dogg.) Among the other main choices, the Smilin’ Moose tends to feature straight up deejay dance music both nights, in what they describe as their cozy lodge atmosphere, with plenty of big thick wood logs to compliment the smaller ones stuck between, as well as their dance floor.
As for hearing some AC/DC, one of the oldest hard rock bands, there are options aplenty, but your best bet right in town, even if a deejay remix, is Dick’s, the oldest bar in Wisconsin. For those with the will to drive, there is Big (and now bigger) Guys BBQ Roadhouse when heading a few miles north and they have a longtime shuttle bus into the city too, and the Empourium, when heading to the east, with our featured music that was slated much earlier. The band name is also all caps like in a DJ, but inverted, going as “IV Play.” Could be Roman Numerals? (Best to call ahead on both of those, as well as others listed, as there might be a late cancellation.)
There are several other places, between downtown Hudson and also in the surrounding townships, that feature either dancing or other live music. Longtime rockers The Chub’s play at Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Friday, starting quite early at 8 p.m., and how about the idea of getting some of the groovy pizza at the adjoining Carbone’s and going say a block away to enjoy it at Willow River State Park, cool even when it’s cold — not the pizza that is.
There is some of the longest-years running karaoke in the area at the Plaza Lounge/Hudson Bowling Center on both Friday and Saturday nights, where they can even hear your voice in the back, and it is known for running it late, so you can still possibly rip through that last tune you saw around last call on the song list.
Also known for serving late is Ziggy’s Hudson, now the new Max’s Social House, and the new owners say they’re still rocking. Ziggy’s, now Max’s, typically has upstairs live bands, just weave up past the patios, but in recent months you’ve been less likely to have full eats (try in the upstairs) since through it all, the good news is, the lower floor especially is being remodeled, noteworthy the middle section. So there’ll be a new version of the club, which just reopened fully, and has planned a new menu and cocktail list but same old music and friendliness, among other things, under a different name, waiting for you. Especially, as remodeling phases are being completed by the day, should you return for next year’s ballooning event, when its all complete.