About Hot Air Ballooning at our Festival
Hot Air Ballooning is totally dependent upon the weather. Launching and landing a hot air balloon in anything more than a slight breeze can be extremely difficult, dangerous, or just impossible.
Winds are usually calmest early in the morning before the sun has a chance to percolate the atmosphere, and just before sunset, when winds tend to die down. Wind direction is also a big factor for our balloonists. Once in the air, hot air balloons are at the mercy of the wind. The only control a balloon pilot has is up or down. Where the balloon goes, where it lands, is dependant upon the pilot's skill and knowledge of the winds. If the winds are blowing out of the north or west, a balloon launched from our festival will be over water in short order. The number of potential landing areas within range vary depending upon their relative direction from the festival. Due to these and other factors, whether a balloon flies, or not, is at the discretion of the pilot. Some may launch from the field, others may launch off site at a location where the wind direction may allow them to land at the festival. Others may stay on the field for tethered flights.
So, even though the weather may be sunny and bright, the winds may not be favorable for launching. A special color coded flag is flown at the balloon tent that indicates flight conditions. The best chance to see balloons in flight, up close and personal, it to be at our festival around 6 am or 6 pm. For more information about ballooning, see our list of Frequently Asked Questions.
