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Hot Air Balloon Rally Starts Tomorrow!

Feb 2, 2017 | 11:13 AM

The 2017 Vernon Hot Air Balloon Rally begins tomorrow (Friday) with the first flight in the morning for the 14 craft that are in the city.
The big event tomorrow (Friday) night is the Balloon Glow at Polson Park, and after a couple of years of this event not going off as planned, all things appear to be a go now according to Event Director David Gleed.
“It’s always been a problem with surface conditions.  The actual ground being too soft.  Last year we had to move it twice because both areas we had it planned weren’t suitable.  This year Mother Nature has kept everything frozen solid, so that is not an issue.”
 Gleed adds, this cold is actually good to fly in.
“Actually it’s good for the balloons because we work on a differential of heat in the actual envelope in the outside air temperature, so it’s extremely efficient for a hot air balloon to be in the cold.”
Gleed says snow forecast over the weekend could become a factor affecting their flying though.
“We are restricted on the visibility that we must have before we can fly, just like any other aircraft.  We will be monitoring that, but sometimes we just can’t fly.”
The balloons from Florida, Alberta and around BC will be flying here right through until Sunday.