Posted on Friday, September 12, 2025
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by AMAC, D.J. Wilson
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Seeking magical or mystical adventure? Here’s why you should consider a hot air balloon ride – plus a little history in the mix!
Popular in song
The song “Up, Up and Away,” performed by The 5th Dimension and backed by members of The Wrecking Crew, is a well-known hit from 1967. Written by songwriter Jimmy Webb, the lyrics romanticize taking a balloon ride. Per Songfacts, the words were inspired by a balloon that Webb’s friend flew on during promotions for a radio station. The 5th Dimensions ‘Up, Up and Away” is also interpreted by some to be about escapism and joy. The wildly popular record and song would become a five-time Grammy Award winner, later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003.
In addition to the catchy chorus, the full lyrics resonate with music listeners:
Suspended under a twilight canopy
We’ll search the clouds for a star to guide us
If by some chance you’ll find yourself loving me
We’ll find a cloud to hide us
We’ll keep the moon beside us
Romantic adventures
The romantic allure of balloon rides persists. Today, many wedding proposals, and even some ceremonies, take place in the baskets of these graceful gliding vessels. Balloon pilots carefully catch different streams of air at varying heights to softly sail passengers across the sky, gently soaring above picture-perfect landscapes. Pilots may make use of turning vents to skillfully rotate the balloon and also use natural cooling to command proper landing. People who enjoy a bit of adventure plus panoramic views are sure to be wowed by the ultimate experience of riding in a hot air balloon.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta – A must-see!
In the US, and in other advanced countries, balloon festivals offer opportunities for individuals to witness balloons up close and personal, learn ballooning history, and watch and take rides. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, a 9-day event taking place beginning October 4, 2025, is an annual extravaganza of epic proportion. The popular festival began meagerly in 1972 with just 13 balloons taking off from a mall parking lot. It is now the largest balloon event in the world, drawing over 830,000 spectators plus over a million live views online. This spectacular fiesta features more than 550 hot air balloons of whimsical sizes and shapes. Attendees at this world’s largest “ballooning party” can experience the Dawn Patrol (where balloon pilots light up their vessels and fly before the break of dawn), Glowdeo (where balloons are illuminated in the evening), the Special Shape Rodeo (where the unique shaped balloons fly) or watch the dramatic mass ascension where hundreds of balloons launch into the morning sky. Other great balloon festivals also occur throughout the year at various locations to include the Adirondack Balloon Festival (Sept. 18th – 21st) with 60+ balloons slated to float over the mountains.
Holding a place of honor
Hot air balloons play an important role in history and greatly influence the science of aeronautics by encouraging the study, design, and manufacture of flight-capable machines. In fact, without the development of hot air balloons, which predate the airplane, flight might not have been possible. These flying machines hold a place of honor for delivering the first successful human-carrying flight technology which pioneered the way for aviation exploration. Hot air balloons are also revered as vital military tools, used for surveillance and intel on enemy movements as early as the Civil War. Per NPS.gov, “Civil War balloons like the Intrepid and Union (Union) and the Gazelle (Confederate) were used for reconnaissance or directing artillery fire on enemy positions.” These balloons, capable of rising 1,000 feet in the air, were usually tethered to prevent drifting into enemy territory. Operators would use signal flags or telegraphs to get information to soldiers on the ground. Though military balloons were used in other wars to include World War I, World War II and the Cold War, technology led the way to more sophisticated aircraft and equipment.
Two French Brothers
Hot air balloons are the 1783 creation of the Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne, who were fascinated by flight. The French duo discovered that heated air was lighter than cool air. This knowledge led them to experiment with silk bags filled with smoke and build their first hot air balloon powered by an iron stove that burned a mixture of straw and wool. Per Napa Valley Aloft, “In June 1783, they launched their first unmanned hot air balloon in front of a large crowd in Annonay, which rose 6,000 feet before landing over a mile away. This successful experiment made them famous overnight and encouraged them to continue…”
A show for a king
A request would come from French King Louis XVI for a demonstration at Versailles. On a sunny September day, the king and his wife Marie Antoinette, and other Parisians watched as a sheep, a rooster, and a duck became the first live passengers to fly below the balloon in an attached wicker cage. The eight-minute flight reached an altitude of 1,500 feet and landed approximately 10,000 feet from its place of ascent. By November, the brothers would gain the courage to launch their first manned hot air balloon flight from a garden in Paris. Physicist Jean Francois Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes became the first humans to fly in a hot air balloon. The two remained in the air for close to 25 minutes before landing on the outskirts of the city. Soon after, another physicist by the name of Jacques Charles would develop the first hydrogen balloon.
A true contribution
People frequently chuckle at the imagery of barnyard animals riding in a hot air balloon with important historical figures looking on. But it was quite important. While serving as American minister to France, Benjamin Franklin took part as an observer when he witnessed several hot air balloon flights in Paris. When asked, “What is the use of flying in the air?” Franklin replied, “What is the use of a newborn child?” Some mistakenly assign it as a skeptical remark; however, it is more likely to point out its soon-to-be-formed potential. Witnessing balloon flights using “inflammable air” is believed to have encouraged Franklin to further ponder potential uses.
Hot air balloons – science & adventure
Today, hot air balloons are used in many ways such as for meteorology and environmental science. Hence, their contributions should not be underestimated. Per Seattle Ballooning, “All true hot air ballooning historians must point to the Montgolfier Balloon as the first practical and fully successful experiment in navigating the air.” Not only have hot air balloons contributed to the field of aerial navigation and scientific progress but also provide euphoric adventures. Songwriter Jimmy Webb best describes how the world becomes “a nicer place” when you can “float among the stars” and “sail along the silver sky.”
Disclosure: This article is purely informational and is not intended as a historical or scientific reference.
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