Take a trip in a hot air ballon


Hot air baloons main events

Hot air balloon festivals are heldThe Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
annually throughout the year, and give ais held during August in Bristol, United
chance for balloonists to participate inKingdom. Teams from all over the UK and
balloon races and display their balloonsother parts of the world bring their hot
during evening balloon glows, and forair balloons to the site and participate
the public to participate in thein mass ascents where as many as 100
spectacle of many balloons gathered inballoons may launch at a time.
one spot and to learn about the sport.The event is one of the largest in
The Albuquerque International BalloonEurope and it is common to have crowds
Fiesta is a yearly gathering of hot airof over 100,000 on each of the four days
balloon enthusiasts from around theof the festival. It takes place in a
world, occurring in Albuquerque, Newlarge country estate Ashton Court.
Mexico, USA, during the first two weeksBalloon launches are attempted twice a
of October. The event, the largest ofday, at 6am and 6pm, subject to weather
its kind in the world, lasts ten daysconditions.
and includes a fleet of nearly 750 hotOne popular attraction is the night
air balloons with pilots from throughoutglow, when balloons are inflated and
the United States and the world.glow to music after dark. Another
Each and every year, dozens of colorfulattraction is the large number of
balloons take to the skies of Decatur,special shaped balloons which take off
Alabama's Point Mallard Park, for thein addition to the regular ones.
Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon ClassicIn 2003 the weight of crowds returning
over the Memorial Day holiday weekendfrom the Balloon Fiesta and Ashton Court
(May 28-29).festival put such great strain on the
Public admission is free of charge.Clifton Suspension Bridge that it was
The Great Pershing Balloon Derby is adecided to close the bridge to all
hot air balloon festival named in honortraffic, including pedestrians, during
of General John J. Pershing and heldthese events from 2004 onwards.
every year since 1977 over the Labor DayPlano Balloon Festival is held each
weekend near Brookfield, Missouri.September in the City of Plano, Texas.
The balloon derby is held in conjuncitonThe 27th Annual ViewPoint Bank Plano
with many other festivities in nearbyBalloon Festival was held September 22 -
Brookfield including beauty contests,24, 2006 at Oak Point Park. Subsequent
concerts, parades, and a fly-in at thePlano Balloon Festivals are scheduled
local airport.for September 21 - 23, 2007 and
The derby itself is held at the MyronSeptember 19 - 21, 2008.
Peacher Memorial Launch Site, an openPossible events include balloon launch;
field on State Road FF about two milesvarious shows ranging from children's
north of U.S. Highway 36 betweenscience exhibits to dancers; and live
Brookfield and Laclede, Missouri.bands. A paraglider group may descend to
Launches are generally at dusk and dawnthe balloon launch field. After dusk,
on Saturday and Sunday and at dawn onseveral balloon pilots assemble with
Monday (Labor Day). A night glow istheir equipment on the balloon launch
usually held at sunset on Sundayfield and conduct synchronized firings
evening.of their balloon's burners, an event
Great Texas Balloon Race is held eachknown as a balloon glow. Weather may
July near the City of Longview, Texas.alter the performance of events, either
It is billed as "The longest runningby preventing or delaying a particular
hot-air balloon event in Texas."performance, or by eliminating some
Various events are held at the Greatelement of the performance. For example,
Texas Balloon Race over several days.the balloon glow can be performed
These events include competitions,without the usual hot air envelope over
including a key grab and a balloon race.the gondola. The day's events may end
The key grab consists of a prizewith a fireworks display.
attached to the top of a 20-footThe venue of the Plano Balloon Festival
(7-meter) pole, which balloon pilotsprecludes events common at other balloon
attempt to grab from the pole as theyfestivals, such as the key grab or bag
pilot their balloons. The race consistsdrop. Such competitions require large,
of pilots using shifting wind directionsopen spaces for the balloons to
at various altitudes to steer towards amaneuver. The City of Plano is located
destination, where they attempt to dropwithin the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex,
a bag as close as possible to a target.which is densely populated.



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