Up, up and AWAY!

The annual International Balloon Fiesta is underway in Sussex, NB for the rest of the week. Although the ‘official’ start isn’t until tomorrow, 16 hot air balloons took to the clear blue sky this morning just after sunrise. What a magnificent sight!

The location for take-off was in Berwick, a few miles outside Sussex as the prevailing breeze would then help the pilots sail toward the town giving their passengers a wonderful tour of the beautiful farms surrounding the town before setting down at the Princess Louise Park field.

The balloons come in all the colours of the rainbow and some interesting shapes – like this froggie looking at you!

Some have designs painted on them too.

Taking off from the field, the only sound to be heard was the “whoosh” as the propane heaters that inflate the balloons kicked in periodically. When they launch from the PLP field you hear the announcer going on, food and midway barkers hawking their wares/rides, crowds talking. In the field outside town, the quiet enhanced the few spectators’ awe in watching the inflation and quiet launch of the balloons.

A member of the #KennebecasisValleyCameraClub and her mother took flight in one of the balloons, and another member kept me company capturing photos of the action.

The process of inflating these huge balloons doesn’t take nearly as much time as one might think.

The event continues until Sunday night so if you’re in the vicinity, it’s worthwhile stopping in to check it out. Details of the program are available on the Atlantic International Balloon Fiesta website!

The event is weather dependent – strong winds aloft can prevent the balloons from taking flight. The early morning lift-off is much more likely to happen than the afternoon one because, by then, the breezes have usually picked up. Keep tabs on the weather!