BOISE — Every year thousands of people from across the country mark their calendars for the last weekend of August when they can make their way to Boise for the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic.
It's a celebration that has become the staple of summertime in the Treasure Valley, and starting on Wednesday Ann Morrison Park will be full of colorful balloons of all shapes and sizes for Kid's Day.
"Our little guys that are coming out, believe it or not, will be in line by 6:30," said Scott Spence, organizer of the Spirit of Boise Classic.
Before the crowds and before a balloon can take off, a lot goes into preparing for the five-day celebration.
"This balloon rally is as much about Ann Morrison park as it is about the balloons," said Spencer. "They're a perfect match."
Preparing for the event has gotten more difficult as Boise continues to grow.
"We have to reign it in constantly," said Spencer. "We decided a long time ago that 50 was our magic number for balloons and it fits the park perfectly."
Spencer says with more development popping across Boise, landing spots are dwindling.
"Some of these big shapes that we have that are as big as two or three round balloons, they need room to land and there just isn't any room down here."
Spencer says that is a concern that's a few years off, but he says they'll keep an eye on it.
Planning for the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic starts months in advance, but on the day before Kid's Day some vendors are parked and ready to go and tents go up.
"We want to be ready for sponsor tents, and our pilot briefing tent where we'll give the pilots all the information they need," Spencer said.
The pilots will get important information like weather conditions, which dictate if the day will be spent on the ground or in the sky.
"To get a good, clean launch we look for winds below four or five miles an hour on the surface," said Spencer.
When it comes to parking, spots will be limited.
"The people who come early in the morning obviously will get the parking spots," Spencer said.
If you're planning on going to the Night Glow Spectacular, you're going to want to get there early.
"They're going to want to be here by 5 o'clock, this place loads up," said Spencer.
It all takes a little bit of planning ahead, but Spencer says it'll be worth it.
"I keep coming back because this is the town that I live in and everyone needs to give something to their town," said Spencer. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world I have to come back."