2017 National Balloon Classic

We are having such a fun summer checking things off our summer bucket list! Just a few things left!

We have wanted to go to the National Balloon Classic for years, but because the flights are at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm (the best times of day to fly balloons), in the past we have been reluctant to mess with our kids' sleep schedules. But this year we were ready to take the leap and see what it's all about.

This was definitely the latest our kids have ever been up (we got home around 10:30 pm) BUT it was 100% worth it. We had thought about making it a date night for just Eric and I, but I'm actually really happy that we brought our kids, because they both loved it, especially Rooney.

We got there at 5:30 pm to find a spot to sit with our friends, listen to the live music and eat from the various food stands. It was a beautiful night, and at 6:30 pm the all-clear was given for balloons to fly. Finch was actually terrified at first, saying he didn't want to ride it. We assured him we were just there to watch! Once they went up into the sky, he thought it was pretty cool! It's such an amazing sight to see 20+ hot air balloons in the sky at the same time!

The night we went was the Nite Glow Extravaganza, which started around 8:30 pm. The balloons inflate but stay on the ground. They were all different and very colorful, and even two shaped as birds! As the sky gets darker and darker, it gets even more magical. They let you go onto the field to get a close-up view for about 20 minutes. You can definitely feel the heat when they turn on their burners! The balloons also have "trading cards," which Rooney thought were so fun to collect!

We will definitely be back! Rooney and I would actually love to go for a ride someday!