Well, last weekend we found ourselves motivated and excited to attend the Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival, and it was fantastic!
What better way to start fall than to see these spectacular balloons take to the sky?!
Read on to see pictures of this fun festival and the books we chose to go along with it!
Despite the fact that we went to the morning launch and it was super early, (not even light out when we first arrived), we're sooo glad we went!
Seeing the balloons launch made for some great photo ops. Here you'll find some of our favorite snapshots of the festival and also some book picks we thought of that center around these fun flyers!
If you ever decide to go, make sure you get there early-it's a very popular attraction!
They also have vendors and a craft fair a little bit away from the balloons, so bring some spending money if you'd like to get something to remember the festival by!
They also offer rides in a tethered balloon that floats approximately 50 feet off the ground. A great way to see if flying's your thing!
Even if it isn't, you're not a million miles high, so there's not a huge gap between you and solid ground!
This year, it was pretty chilly, so we made sure to bring some warmer jackets. Some people had on hats and gloves to stay cozy while waiting to see the first balloons in the sky.
Hearing and seeing all the sights and sounds up close and personal was a highlight!
It takes about 10 minutes for the balloons to fill and take to the skies!
We got to the festival with plenty of time, and took a good look around before it began.
My mom brought her Fujifilm x100f digital camera in addition to her phone to capture the balloons, and I brought my Instax Mini for a retro flair!
The launch took place over about an hour, during which 80+ balloons took flight, each and every one showcasing a different design! We did a fair amount of walking back and forth across the balloon filled field-we wanted to see as many of the balloons as possible!
The hot air balloons were eclectic; some were more traditional, featuring a rainbow of colors, and then there were the 'special edition balloons'- including a cowboy, koala, and lion!
I used up the film I'd brought for my Instax camera, and then moved on to snapping with the Pixel.
With so many balloons, how could we not take as many pics as our cameras could hold?!
My mom's top faves included the tulip balloon, one with a dog trotting along the side, and a color blocked balloon.
When I asked him, my dad said he liked the cowboy balloon best, no competition!
Each year is different, so you'll always be happily surprised! This is a perfect outing to begin your autumn. Whether you live close or further away, I guarantee you'd enjoy making the trip!
This was the 47th annual Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival . A free event, they do accept and appreciate donations. They've become well-known for all of the breathtaking balloons featured!
My personal favorites? The unicorn balloon definitely took the #1 spot! This was apparently the debut year of the unicorn, who looked quite lovely in the almost-autumn sunshine!
The other designs I liked were a couple of the more classic color block floaters, as well as the balloon featured in the best Instax pic I took, with the reds and oranges!
Such a memorable trip...can you guess what's on our autumn bucket list of things to do now?!
Post launch, we walked around some more to peruse the vendors' wares and booths and got ourselves a couple of cute balloon-themed souvenirs! A fun day to kick off the start of fall!
It was amazing to see so many different hot air balloons up close, both on the ground as well as in the air and I hope you enjoyed this little peek at the Adirondack Hot Air Balloon festival!
Happy Hot Air Balloon Travels!
-Cenzia :)