Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Hot Air Balloon Heaven!

In the past few years it has become a tradition for the Honey Family to go to the Balloon Fest that is part of Provo City's Freedom Festival. Even though we have to get up early (balloons launch by 6:30 am), we LOVE to see the hot air balloons!

This year we made it to the field just as the balloons were inflating.


It is so awesome to watch the colorful silk envelopes fill with hot air and rise off the ground. The best part about the balloon festival is that you can actually walk around on the field while the balloons are being inflated.


That means you can get really close to all of the action! It is so fascinating to watch the crews work to fill the hot air balloons.


I love watching more and more balloons rise up from the ground! Before you know it, the first balloons are launched into the sky to make room for the rest of the balloons that still need to inflate.


Before long, most of the balloons are rising into the sky. It is a wonderful sight to behold!



There were so many different hot air balloons, with picture opportunities at every turn! I snapped several hundred pictures of hot air balloons and had a hard time narrowing down which pictures I wanted to use for this post because there were so many good ones!


One of the last balloons to inflate was the Coca-Cola balloon. They almost never let the Coke balloon get off the ground because its shape makes it hard to fly. But the timing of the balloon rising off the ground was perfect this year because I ended up with one of my favorite shots!


This year was the best weather we have ever had at the Balloon Fest. There was not a lot of wind, which made for awesome balloon navigation. In years past it seemed that the balloons would quickly drift away from the field, but this year they were able to navigate around the field and stay nearby.


After the balloons have launched, they put a target on the field that the balloonists are supposed to fly over and drop a flag as close to the middle as they can. In years past most of the balloons never made it back over the field, but this year we saw six or seven balloons come back and take aim at the target.


It was really cool to watch! there were also several balloon targets for the hot air balloonists to try to get close to and pop. We have never seen a balloon come close to popping a target balloon, but this year several were popped. It was awesome! (See the target balloons in the picture below?)


This year was the best yet for watching the hot air balloons! My little children don't even mind getting up early because they think the hot air balloons are fascinating too.




I know I definitely would love to take a ride in one someday! Wouldn't you?


I love that the balloon fest has become a part of our Fourth of July celebrations. I think watching the balloons is even more fun than watching the fireworks!


If you have never gone to a balloon festival, you should see if there is one held near you this summer! When I looked at a Hot Air Balloon Festivals website, I was surprised at just how many festivals there are around the United States, and the world!


Have you been to a balloon festival, or gone for a ride in a hot air balloon? I would LOVE to hear about it!


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18 comments:

  1. Wow!! These are amazing! We had friends who went to one of these every year when they lived in Reno and the pictures were always so fun!

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  2. We were there too! lol, It's fun to see them all from another angle. We were right next to the Coke Balloon. I posted pics of the inside of it last week. So fun! Your photos are beautiful! :)

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  3. Wow! Fantastic photography and what a wonderful event ~~ thanks, ^_^ (A Creative Harbor)

    ps ~ am one of your newest GFC followers ^_^

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  4. Absolutely brilliant images. I can't pick a favourite as they are all outstanding.... best photographs I have seen today.

    Mollyxxx

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  5. Oh wow, that is beautiful! I would love to see something like it with my family. I am sure my kids would be amazed. :)

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  6. Those are awesome! My husband and I came really close to reserving spots on one once, but we weren't able to make it!

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  7. These are absolutely breathtaking! What a glorious day to showcase those beautiful colors flying there. BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

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  8. We went to the balloon festival in Provo, only once. But I loved it, and have been trying to find the motivation to do it again. Maybe next year (if we come up).

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  9. these make me so excited for my balloon festival in Oct! You captured them beautifully. Love the clouds,colors, well, just love them all! Nice work!!

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  10. I remember as a kid once a hot air balloon landed in the woods in our neighborhood and we all so amazed by it. Your pictures are gorgeous, looks like it was a lovely event! I have to admit that I would be too scared to ride in one though!

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  11. Cruisin in on from WW on Angie's blog...

    Great shots! We always meant to go when we lived in NJ, but never made it...wonder if there any around here. Your pics make me want to go and see them up close and personal even more now!

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  12. I grew up in Indianola, IA where they also had a balloon fest every summer. Such a fun summer memory! LOVE these pics! That first one is breathtaking. Thanks so much for sharing and linking to our Summer Daze Party! Sorry my blog was down yesterday. Figures it would happen while I was driving and unable to get to a computer. ha!

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  13. Your pictures are awesome. I was able to take a ride in a balloon a couple years ago the view was amazing.

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  14. Bryan and I got the chance to ride in one a few years ago with his work. It was pretty amazing, although my glasses broke that weekend and I couldn't see much of anything! I was really surprised how SLOWLY they move. From the ground it looks pretty fast, but up in the air it feels like you are barely moving. My favorite part was helping deflate the balloon, which they call milking the balloon. Stacy

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  15. There is one about fifty miles from me in August. I've never gone, but now that I blog, I would love to go and photograph it. Of course, riding in one would be a blast too!

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  16. Oh man!! I wish I was there! It would be photography heaven!! Beautiful pictures!

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  17. Very impressive photos! I was searching for images to use as inspiration for a mural on a friend's fence.

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  18. I like the thrill that I feel while hot air balloon rides. I enjoyed reading the blog.. Thanks for sharing it.

    Hot Air Balloon Rides

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