Starting in 1996, Erie has developed a tradition of hot air ballooning, according to the Erie Balloon Festival’s website. From Friday to Sunday, the free balloon festival will be held in the open field across from Erie High School, on the northwest corner of County Road 5 and Colliers Parkway.
The first balloon launch will begin at 6 a.m. Friday, just after sunrise. On Saturday, there will be both a morning flight and an evening “glow,” the website says. A balloon glow is a display of balloons after sunset, where balloons stay on the ground and light up, the site says. The evening event will also have food trucks, music and face painters, according to the website. The final launch will be at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.
It is encouraged to arrive from 5:30-6 a.m. for launch and to get a seat on the mowed hill on the east edge of the field for optimal viewing, the website said. It could be cooler in the morning, around 55 degrees, warming up to 80-90 degrees in the later morning, the site said, so dressing in layers is recommended…