Wake up early and watch balloons gently rise over Santa Rosa at the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic, July 19—20, 2025.
Before sunrise, when most of Sonoma County is still wrapped in sleep, the cool air at the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa is thick with anticipation and quiet movements. It’s early, impossibly early, the sky a deep indigo with barely visible clouds drifting overhead. The grass beneath shoes feels damp, each blade glistening slightly under dim lights, carrying the faint earthy aroma of dew mixed with the scent of freshly cut fields.
Volunteers move methodically, their voices low and purposeful. They spread enormous fabric envelopes across the grass, each piece smooth yet slightly textured like thin sailcloth. Unfurling the balloons requires gentle precision, a quiet choreography that sets wicker baskets — rough to the touch and intricately woven — carefully into place. At precisely five, propane burners burst alive with a sudden hiss, sending waves of heat and light across faces tilted upward. The flames roar gently, their warmth palpable, cutting briefly through the chill that settles firmly into bones…