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Up, up and away! Telluride’s annual Balloon Festival is the official segue from low-key spring into the official kick-off of summer.
From Friday, May 31 to Sunday June 2, the colorful event might be one of Telluride’s smaller festivals, but it’s no less awe-inspiring than the mountains these hot air balloons sail through.
Unlike so many outdoor sports that take special skill sets, anyone can participate in the Telluride Balloon Festival—but you’ve got to be a sunrise/sunset kind of person, because that’s when the action happens on Saturday and Sunday.
Those who wish to cross a hot air balloon ride off their bucket list should sign up to volunteer with the festival. Show up at Town Park around 6 a.m. on one of the mass ascension days. If you’re assigned to help with a specific balloon, you might get to stand alongside an experienced pilot in the gondola for a breathtaking view of the city and surrounding mountains.
Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, May 31, there is a student static display at the Telluride Intermediate School. Then get ready to take your own photos at 6 a.m. Saturday, June 1, at the lovely Telluride Town Park. A mass ascension of colorful hot air balloons will launch, floating gracefully through the box canyon walls until they end up approximately a mile out of town.
At 7 p.m., downtown will be aglow as balloons are tethered to Main Street and lit up for a wondrous display – the perfect family outing. Still want to see more hot air balloons? Enjoy the final mass ascension from the Town Park at 6 a.m. Sunday, June 2.
Remember that all of this is weather dependent. If it’s blowing too fast or in the wrong direction, the organizers will ground the balloons until it is safe again. Fun Fact: To fly balloons in Telluride the wind speed can only be 10 mph and blowing from east to west (straight down valley)
For more exciting ways to enjoy all that Telluride has to offer this summer, contact SilverStar Telluride Luxury Rentals at 970-728-3001 or online.
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