Colorado Balloon Classic - first time!

NOW we are starting to feel like Colorado residents. Nothing like getting up early on a Saturday morning (the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and Gemma's 3rd birthday) with thousands of other folks and eating breakfast at the park while dozens of hot-air balloons take off! Absolutely beautiful and incredible.

Both kids were very interested and excited by all the activity. Spectators were allowed to mill around on with the staff and the hot air balloons, so at one point we were sitting right next to several balloons as they were firing up (pretty loud!). The event is held at Memorial Park in downtown Colorado Springs, which has nearly 200 acres of grounds (fields, small lake with boating and swimming, ice rink, Velodrome, trails and playgrounds).

 

The festival is held over three days, with festivities in the morning and evening. The balloons begin to be inflated and take off at 6 AM. There were thousands of people there to view this amazing scene! They also have an evening 'Balloon Glow' where the balloons fire up but stay on the ground - but it was too late in the evening for the kids. Maybe next year...

 

Oh, right, there's a range of mountains over there!!

Timo is working on his scrunchy grin.