Quilts in the Sky...

Quite by chance I happened to hear about the Louisiana Hot Air Balloon Championship Festival right before all the festivities began this past weekend.  Only in its second year, I wasn't sure what to expect - it definitely didn't disappoint!

I love hot air balloons; they are sweetly nostalgic and beautifully colored like patchwork quilts in the sky.  We arrived just in time for the last race of the day.  A Fly In and Out challenge over the tree line to maneuver over a target and drop a weighted ribbon.  We noshed on boudin (BOO-dan) balls while the crowd oohed and aahed!

Near sunset they began to inflate all the balloons in the field to set up for a night glow.  C even volunteered to help set up (my personal favorite) The Purple People Eater with a crew from Florida.

 

The "Glow" was hands down my favorite event of the night.  Once inflated and tethered, we could walk up close through a menagerie of balloons, each alternating with a surprise whoosh of their burners lighting the night...including the sweetest pig balloon "Ham-let"

Late into the night and once the balloons safely were removed from the field they could begin the fireworks show.  It was a bit of a wait (say 45 minutes) but I suppose propane and sparks don't mix so we were okay for the precautions.  It gave us just long enough to wait in the longest line EVER for funnel cake...however, it was the BEST piping hot funnel cake I've ever had and just in time for the show! 

--Lisa LeBlanc

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