Balloon Festival (When do they take off?) (house, camping)

[shanen]

Originally Posted by otowi

I haven't been to a balloon festival for years but I remember waaay back in the day in the evenings they would inflate them without launching -called the balloon glow. If it is day time, though, they always launched....

This is exactly what they did last year. Assuming the new vendor does the same, they inflate and lift off in the morning (assuming the wind isn't crazy), and then inflate without lifting off in the evening (assuming the wind isn't crazy). Last year, at least one evening was too windy, so they just shot balls of fire into the air without the balloons.

[COSpringsBound]

Thanks for relaying your experiences, I'll make sure to get up early and see if I can spot the balloons for the first day.

[Maynerd]

Wind and weather obviously play in to what will actually occur. I agree that it's worthwhile to get down to Memorial Park for at least one launch. Just get there early. There's parking ($5) at the Peak Vista Medical Center on Printer's Parkway, across the street from the velodrome. The Lion's Club puts the proceeds to good use in the community. The lot should be open for both the morning launches and the evening balloon glows.

[captain_hug99]

Originally Posted by otowi

I haven't been to a balloon festival for years but I remember waaay back in the day in the evenings they would inflate them without launching -called the balloon glow. If it is day time, though, they always launched....

Yes, we've done both and they both offer great views in very different ways.

[Christina S]

In 2013 I won a trip for 2 to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico duriing the balloon classic. I hope the sponsors have raffles again.

[Marcar12]

With 3 little kids (including a toddler), getting anywhere at 6:30AM sounds like the cruelest form of torture I can think of right now.

I'm wondering, though, if we might be able to see the air-born balloons a little later in the morning from our neighborhood? Does anyone know if there's a chance that the balloons will travel high/far enough that we would be able to see them in the air from the Briargate area of town?

[Christina S]

That depends on how strong the winds are and which direction it is blowing. Some balloons do fly at high altitudes so you may be able to see some in the Briargate area.

[dr.frog]

My recollection is that the balloons usually drift south and east, rather than north. I've never seen any of them come west over my neighborhood.

[Maynerd]

Originally Posted by Marcar12

With 3 little kids (including a toddler), getting anywhere at 6:30AM sounds like the cruelest form of torture I can think of right now.

I'm wondering, though, if we might be able to see the air-born balloons a little later in the morning from our neighborhood? Does anyone know if there's a chance that the balloons will travel high/far enough that we would be able to see them in the air from the Briargate area of town?

I've seen them from that area, but they're miles away, and look like a bunch of colored dots just above the horizon to the South.

Even with little ones, it's really worth the trip to the park to see them up close.

[Marcar12]

Originally Posted by Maynerd

I've seen them from that area, but they're miles away, and look like a bunch of colored dots just above the horizon to the South.

Even with little ones, it's really worth the trip to the park to see them up close.

I hope that the balloon festival is a tradition that continues for many years, so we can start taking them once the toddler is 5 or so. We would definitely like to go in the near future.