A sky filled with majestic, colorful hot air balloons is an enchanting experience. Maybe it's the human fascination with flight that captures everyone's attention and imagination. For whatever reason, watching the enormous fabric balloons lift a basket of people off the ground using nothing but hot air provided by a flaming burner that roars at the pilot's control is an experience most people never forget.
Perhaps that is why the Huff 'n Puff Hot Air Balloon Rally has been a key Topeka event for 50 consecutive years. The 50th anniversary display will take place from Friday, September 5th, through Sunday, the 7th. And, as always, it remains free for the public to attend.
What makes the sight of a hot air balloon so intriguing? Lori Hutchinson, a balloon pilot and president of the Great Plains Balloon Club, who hosts the event, says, "Myself, I'm kind of biased, but I think it's just the fact that people don't really know the balloon's size. They come out and see the basket with a bag in front of it. Then the pilot opens the bag, and all this beautiful fabric comes out. Then you put some air into it and stand up this majestic, huge aircraft, and people are like, 'Oh my word. It's just breathtaking.'"
This year, 25 balloons will gather on the Mount Hope Cemetery balloon field at the corner of SW Huntoon Street and SW Fairlawn Road for the rally. They will launch, weather permitting, on Friday and Saturday evening, and Saturday and Sunday morning.
One of the more spectacular sights is the Balloon Glow, which takes place on Friday and Saturday evenings. Some of the hot air balloons will inflate but stay on the ground. As darkness falls, the burner flames cause the balloons to glow, showcasing their beautiful colors.
Hutchinson adds, "One of the things that I think will be fun this year, especially for the kiddos, is we will have event posters for them to get the different pilots to sign. Also, each pilot will have their own trading cards, which are kind of like baseball cards. The kids can collect them as part of the event."
Again this year, there will be the popular Balloon Discovery Workshop. Middle schoolers from sixth through eighth grade can sign up for a hands-on experience learning how hot air balloons work. This workshop, sponsored by Flying High Balloon Services, takes place on the Saturday of the event and costs $20 per youth. Each participant gets an event t-shirt. The sign-up can be found at huff-n-puff.org/balloon-discovery.
For grown-ups interested in working with the balloons, the teams are always in need of volunteer crew members at the event since most pilots come from different cities and states. For anyone wanting to be a balloon crew member, there will be crew training before the event. Interested parties can find the date of the training and latest information on the event website or the rally's Facebook Page (see below). You can also email the Crew Coordinator at huffnpuffcrew@gmail.com to get more information.
"We have literally been having this event for 50 consecutive years," Hutchinson says. "So, come out. We don't charge for people or vehicles. It's a free family event. We'll also have around 40 food trucks and vendors at the rally. It's bound to be a good time."
Details on this year's Huff 'n Puff Hot Air Balloon Rally are found at huff-n-puff.org. For up-to-date announcements, such as flight schedules and weather delays, watch the event's Facebook page at facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550883403004.