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