In 1783 the Montgolfier brothers flew a sheep, rooster and duck as the first passengers in a hot air balloon to impress Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Little was accomplished for the next 182 years when Ed Yost teamed up with the U.S. Air Force to develop modern ballooning. Bill Meadows and Tracy Barnes made their first flight in Iredell County near Statesville, NC in 1969.
The National Baloon Rally was founded at the Rhyne Aerodrome in 1974 and morphed into the Carolina Balloon Festival.
In a field by the Statesville Regional Airport I attended the 45th Annual Carolina Balloon Festival on Friday. (10-19-18). It’s the second longest-running Balloon Fest in the United States.
This is a 3-day event with craft vendors, food and live music but it’s all about those big, beautiful balloons inflating and soaring away.
I waited in a miles-long line for parking to open at 2:30pm. Balloons did not start flying until well after 5:00. To fill the time, Abby the Spoon Lady amazed us with her prowess playing spoons along with Chris Rodrigues’ guitar and vocals on the main stage. Abby is a “Spoons Virtuoso!”
Long lines are attached to vehicles and handled by crew to keep balloons from getting away during the inflation process. It’s a choreographed show with lots of steps. For video click on: ItsHotcut copy
It’s difficult to tell what a balloon may turn out to be before it’s fully inflated. The colors, patterns and character creations are amazing.
With so many balloons in close proximity I wondered if they ever bumped into each other. The answer is, Yes! Click link for video: MVI_bump
Balloons took to the sky as soon as they were filled and blew away like bubbles in the gentle breeze.
It was hard to keep up with the organized chaos. Dozens arrived and were gone in a little over an hour. By 6:30pm the massive crowd headed for the fields full of parked cars outside the gates. There was one lane out and they sat idle for hours.
I stayed till 9:00 to hear the last band and let the traffic thin out. “Albannach” is Gaelic for “Scottish” and this pipes and drum band describes their music as, “A Celtic punch in the face!” Their forceful drums and primal didgeridoo playing was not for the faint of heart.
I left the Carolina Balloon Festival pretty pumped up. It was a feast for the eyes and ears. I plan to take a ride in a balloon someday when the time and beautiful place to float through the air presents itself.