Photo gallery: Up, up and away with the Sandy balloon festival

Wind may have kept hot air balloons grounded, but spirits were still high as the 17th annual Sandy Balloon Festival kicked off Friday morning at Storm Mountain Park.

A total of 17 hot air balloons were in attendance for the early-morning event, according to Barb Smith, communications director for the city of Sandy. “We usually have 5,000 attendees and upwards of that,” she said of the morning balloon launch.

A DJ, face painting, food trucks and free balloons kept attendees entertained as they watched the hot air balloons get unpacked and inflated into an upright position. The intended goal was to have tethered rides for attendees, where the balloon goes 50 to 80 feet off the ground while secured to the ground by a rope. However, hot air balloons require specific weather conditions to operate safely, and the wind was too strong. Instead, hot air balloons were inflated and attendees were able to get an up-close look at the balloons on the ground briefly before weather required the balloons to be put away.

Despite the main event being grounded on Friday, another balloon launch will be held on Saturday morning at approximately 6:30 a.m. at the same park, weather permitting.

In the evening on Saturday, a balloon glow will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the park if weather permits. Balloon glows are where hot air balloons remain on the ground, but they inflate and their burners light up the envelope of the balloon giving off a warm glow. “For the glow, that’s usually a crowd of 25,000,” explained Smith. In addition to the balloon glow, a drone show will be held Saturday night. The drone show will be held at the Sandy Promenade at 10 p.m., again, weather permitting.

For more information, visit the city’s event page here: https://sandy.utah.gov/518/Balloon-Festival