The Adirondack Balloon Festival – A Truly Uplifting Event
Let yourself be carried away this September 20th-23rd by one of the premier gatherings of hot air balloons and balloon enthusiasts in the world. Punning aside, the Adirondack Balloon Festival really is an awe-inspiring event both in terms of scale and in the amount of fun to be had. This free four day festival is the oldest and largest balloon event on the east coast of America, attracting pilots and spectators from all over America and sometimes further afield. This is understandable, as the sight of a host of balloons rising into the dawn sky against the backdrop of the mighty Adirondack Mountains is enough to make even the most dedicated groundling melt inside.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKkYkwLwEyI&feature=related
If you think all this is just hot air, take a look at the video – this really is the mecca for the world’s balloonists, and the organizers are sure to provide enough entertainment over the four-day period to keep everyone in the family happy. Not only are there grand ‘ascensions’ with up to 100 balloons flying at the same time, there are also night-time events called ‘moonglows’ where festival-goers can watch all their favourite balloons lit up like vast Chinese lanterns against the night sky. Awesome.
Image Courtesy of http://adirondackwinery.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/our-view-of-the-adirondack-balloon-festival-2008/
If all this talk of ‘ascensions’ and ‘moonglows’ makes the festival seem a bit like an otherworldly balloonist cult, there is a healthy dose of the ridiculous thrown in to bring it down to earth (ha-ha). The 2012 Adirondack Balloon Festival will feature 12 ‘special shape’ balloons, including a gigantic children’s petting zoo. Not many petting zoos can boast, as this one does, the inclusion of a 12-story tall T-Rex, a ‘purple people eater’ (whatever that is!) and a butterfly standing over 120 feet tall.
Image Courtesy of http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-p647232-Betty_Jean_the_Butterfly.html
Other oddly shaped inflatable delights include a birthday cake of biblical proportions, which will be the first balloon in the sky at the opening ceremony in a celebration of the festival’s 40-year anniversary. The citizens of Glenn Falls are all geared up to welcome this autumnal tradition once again, hosting a block party and a classic car show for festival-goers who would rather keep their feet on the ground. However, those who are itching to take a ride into the blue yonder, booking a trip one of the many Adirondack Festival balloons is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just make sure to avoid the purple people eater.
Image Courtesy of http://blog.gettothebc.com/2012/07/midusa-ohio-challenge-hot-air-balloon.html
About the Author
Adrian Simpson Adrian Simpson is a writer and TV presenter with a profound love of the outdoors. His family, snow, sea, brewing, vinyl, guitars and VW buses mean the world to him.
