A Spectacle of Hot Air Balloons Will Rise Over Billings Starting July 23
If you've never watched a field full of colorful hot air balloons lift off as the sun comes up over Billings, this might be the summer you finally check it off your Montana bucket list. For the past several years, I was able to watch them float over Billings from our office vantage point high atop the Doubletree Hotel.
The Big Sky Balloon Rally returns to Amend Park July 23-26, bringing the largest hot air balloon event in Montana back to the Magic City for four days of early morning launches and family-friendly fun. It's completely free to attend. It's a photographer's dream, and it's a really unique experience.
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I've always thought hot air balloons have a certain magic to them.
They're peaceful, colorful, and somehow manage to make even the earliest morning alarm worthwhile. There's just something cool about standing in Amend Park with a cup of coffee while these giant balloons slowly inflate before floating silently across the Yellowstone Valley.
Weather permitting, mass balloon ascensions are scheduled for approximately 6 AM on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Amend Park. Every launch is a little different because the wind ultimately decides where the balloons will drift.
Saturday evening is when the festival really kicks into high gear.
The Field Festival opens at 6 PM with food trucks, face painting, kids' activities, live music from DIRRT, and one of the highlights of the weekend, a balloon glow at dusk. This is when the balloons remain tethered while their powerful burners illuminate the colorful envelopes against the evening sky. As always, weather conditions will determine whether the glow can happen.
If you're hoping to snag a ride in one of the balloons, organizers say ride information will be posted on the event's social media pages closer to the rally. Those opportunities are typically extremely limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you get an opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon, don't pass it up!
Many years ago, I had the chance to ride in the 7UP balloon, and it's something I'll never forget. The silence as you drift over Billings, and the birdseye view into backyards, the Yellowstone River, and neighborhoods, is completely different than riding in a noisy small airplane.
Whether you're bringing the kids, looking for some incredible photos, or just want an excuse to get outside before the summer heat kicks in, the Big Sky Balloon Rally is one of those uniquely Billings events that's worth setting the alarm clock for.
As of Tuesday, July 7th, the Big Sky Balloon Rally still has volunteer opportunities available. Sign up for a shift HERE.
Hot Air Balloon Rides in Montana: What to Expect [PHOTOS]
Gallery Credit: mwolfe
Hot Air Balloon Festivals/Events in Colorado
Gallery Credit: Dave Jensen