BOISE, Idaho — **UPDATE: Hot air balloons will not take flight Friday morning due to wind. Nite Glow and other Friday festivities will still proceed as scheduled.
Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic 2023 is a "Magical thing to see."
The Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic sends hot air balloons soaring for its 32nd year over the City of Trees. Balloons take flight Wednesday through Sunday.
The event starts Wednesday morning with CapEd Credit Union Kid's Day. Kids who come to the event at Ann Morrison Park can get a free tethered balloon ride.
Throughout the rest of the week, hot air balloons will fill the skies over the City of Trees, launching each day between 7:15 and 9 a.m.
It's a sight that event organizer Laurie Spencer said never loses its magic.
"You have a field, this beautiful Ann Morrison Park that is quiet, it's calm - and then when the balloons start their inflation, it just fills with color." Spencer said. "Then we launch the balloons into the sky, and it's just a magical thing to see all the balloons everywhere."
All balloon launches are weather-permitting.
Schedule of events:
Wednesday
6:45 a.m. - Balloons are on the launch field for day one
7:25 a.m. - "Cap Ed Kid's Day" at Ann Morrison Park
Thursday
6:30 a.m. - Balloons are at the park
7:20 a.m. - Optional flight for "Media Day"
Friday
7:10 a.m. - Tribute launch in honor of Larry Gebert
7:20 a.m. - Mandatory flight
5:30 p.m. - Nite Glow activities begin: Food, vendors and live music
8:05 p.m. - Nite Glow Spectacular
Saturday
6 a.m. - Launch
7:20 a.m. - Mandatory flight
Sunday
6:00 a.m. - Dawn Patrol / Inflation / Launch
7:20 a.m. - Mandatory flight/ Competition day
The Balloon Classic has been a staple of Boise since 1999, when it took place at the Boise River Festival. In 2010, the event became the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic.
Even if you don’t attend the event at Ann Morrison Park, you may still spot balloons soaring through the sky over downtown Boise.
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