Hot Air Balloon Festivals

Imagine watching dozens of massive, majestic, brightly colored balloons rise into the sky. That's what this date is about. Balloon festivals offer incredible balloon vistas, music, carnivals, arts, crafts and balloon races. These events attract people of all ages and means.

COST

You only pay for the gas and food. The viewing is free.

LIST OF FESTIVALS

Try www.hotairballooning.com for a list of hot air balloon clubs and festivals in each state. Clubs in your area will also have information about local festivals.

To locate a festival near you, phone the Balloon Federation of America at (515)961-8809 or visit their website at www.bfa.net. You will find a sampling of some of the best festivals of the season.

BALLOONING MAGAZINES AND BOOKS

Try Balloon Life–The Magazine for Hot Air Ballooning. Their website is www.balloonlife.com or (206) 935-3649. This magazine has a calendar of events and a wealth of information.

For a great-looking book with more than one-hundred incredible color photographs of hot air balloons in action, see The Joy of Ballooning By George Denniston, Courage Books; $19.95. This book offers a fascinating, behind-the-scenes view of the hot-air ballooning world. It covers the history of ballooning as well as information on different balloon shapes and sizes and the secrets of balloon navigation. It also provides an index of ballooning festivals.

THE BIGGEST FESTIVAL AND OLDEST SCHOOL

The largest hot air balloon festival in the universe is held during the first week in October in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Last year's festival attracted more than 1000 hot air balloons. Alburquerque is also home to one of the oldest and most reputable hot air balloon schools, World Balloon (505)293-6800.

WHAT'S IN A BALLOON?

The parts that make up the huge balloons are quite simple. There's the envelope or balloon that is made from heat-resistant nylon, the basket which is made from woven wicker and the burner which heats the air that lifts the balloon. The heated air inside the balloon is lighter than the outside air and allows the balloon to rise. Making it work correctly and safely, however, is not nearly as simple.

BUILD YOUR OWN BALLOON—IN MINIATURE

Got some hot air that you could put to good use? Consider How to Build Your Own Model Hot-Air Balloons by Richard Marmor, Arbour Technologies; $7.95 (We could only find it at BookZone.) This book provides is a simple and economical way to construct working hot-air balloon models that really fly. It shows you how to build models capable of flying for miles and to heights approaching 1000 feet for little more than a dollar each. It's an excellent way to learn the history and science of hot air balloons.

Want to make a hot air balloon from tissue paper? Try these sites:

www.explorium.org/tissue_balloons.htm

http://solospirit.wustl.edu/solospirit2/education/ballooning/makeone.html