The New Jersey Balloon Festival ( Festival of Ballooning ) – is one of the largest aeronautics festivals in North America, as well as a very spectacular and popular event. It is held annually, last weekend of July, at the airport of Solberg in the city of Readington ( New Jersey, USA ), and has been going on its history since 1983.
I must say that this festival of balloons not only has a long history, but also is one of the hundred best festivals in America, and is also awarded the prize as « The best special event ». About 200 thousand people become guests and participants of this holiday, many of them come here with whole families from all over America and from other countries.
For three days, the sky over Solberg Airport in Readington is bloomed with all the colors of the rainbow, when more than a hundred balloons simultaneously rise into the sky, and paratroopers still have time to maneuver between them. This is an indescribable sight!
The highlight of the festival are curly balloons or decorative balloons. These are huge figures of various subjects: a proud eagle with a height of more than 40 meters with an incredible wingspan; an even more giant indefatigable hare Energizer; American giant flag weighing about 200 kg; Pepsi Super Bank 1000 liter model of the Earth Flat Earth…
In addition to demonstration launches of curly balloons, flights around the vicinity of Readington on sports balloons or just climbing to the height, pilots and specialists also talk about how the flight proceeds, about the physics of the balloon, how to manage it, and, of course, about interesting cases and your experience of flying short and long distances ( even intercontinental ).
Viewers who want to tear themselves away from the mortal land on « airfowl grandfather » – fly or just rise to a height, for a fee they can also feel the joy of flying and feel like birds.
On the ground during the festival, the holiday program is also oversaturated with events. Sometimes there is simply a physical lack of time to see all the performances and participate in all the entertainment that takes place within the framework of the festival. But everyone will find something to their liking.
For children, playgrounds, permanent competitions, clown performances are organized here ... For adults – extreme attractions, exhibitions, concerts, music shows, the opportunity to shopping at a giant fair, where there are a lot of pavilions or open canopies with all kinds of goods. Above all this, the industry « fast food » – around tents with fried meat, potatoes, soda of all sorts, ice cream, etc. reigns.
At the end of each holiday, spectators, already stunned by an abundance of entertainment, will find a luxurious fireworks and an evening balloon show with backlight and music.
The New Jersey Balloon Festival – is truly a grand and beautiful sight, where everyone has a unique opportunity to get an unforgettable experience from both the holiday and the balloon travel.