Boise soon will be full of hot air balloon
Soon after a three-year hiatus, the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic is back – perhaps for fantastic.
With 28 balloons scheduled for launch each day, the Balloon Traditional will take flight Thursday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 5, in Ann Morrison Park in Boise.
“It’s the 100th anniversary of aviation in Idaho, and we wanted to try and do some thing to commemorate that,” said Scott Spencer, president of Lighter Than Air America, Inc., and producer in the Balloon Traditional. “Balloons have played such an necessary role in events around Boise throughout the decades, so we made this Boise’s celebration of 100 many years of aviation.”
If you’ve lived within the Treasure Valley for a while, you probably remember the Balloon Traditional when it was a highlight with the Boise River Festival, which had its last hurrah in 2003.
“It was constantly part of the River Festival, and even soon after the River Fest, we kept it going via 2006,” Spencer mentioned. “We had hoped the River Festival may well come back, so we kept it up a few much more years.”
When the United States economy went south, it just didn’t feel appropriate for Spencer to be asking for funds from sponsors to pay for a fun balloon party in Boise, he said.
But circumstances have changed.
“Now we’ve a fantastic cause to perform it, and we’re excited,” Spencer stated. “Balloons are uplifting. They give folks hope and put a smile on their faces.”
This year’s don’t-miss is a one-of-a-kind competitors on Saturday morning featuring an unusual pairing: hot air balloons and É Porta-Potties.
Spencer wouldn’t elaborate.
“But I guarantee you it really is a competition the likes of which no one has seen before,” Spencer explained.
(May possibly want to watch where you’re standing for that one.)
The Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic is being sponsored by Powerball along with the Idaho Lottery.
“We hope this event will bring the entire Treasure Valley community together for many years to follow,” said Jeff Anderson, director with the Idaho Lottery.
Meanwhile, Spencer has a personal purpose to celebrate. The 40th anniversary of his initial hot air balloon ride is coming up next year.
“We’ve generally treated this balloon rally as a gift to the community,” Spencer mentioned. “We never charge for it. It is just a special time. It really is an opportunity for us to fly at house, which we don’t commonly get to complete. My wife and I both fly, and we have a blast.”