NATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON DAY
NATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON DAY
Every year on June 5th, the sky transforms into a massive, floating art gallery for National Hot Air Balloon Day. Whether you are an avid pilot, a festival-goer, or a backyard dreamer, today is the day to look up and celebrate the oldest form of human flight.
National Hot Air Balloon Day also celebrates anniversary week of the Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne, who gave the world the first public demonstration of a hot air balloon in Annonay, France, on June 4, 1783. The unmanned balloon floated nearly 6,000 feet into the air and ignited the global age of human aviation!
#HotAirBalloonDay
There is a unique magic to hot air balloons. These lighter-than-air vessels drift silently above tree lines and evoke a sense of nostalgic wonder. Seeing one in the air creates pure joy that few other forms of aviation can match. It creates a feeling of nostalgia that balloon flight is a beautiful, colorful reminder of what it feels like to just look up in pure, uninterrupted wonder.
The history behind hot air balloons is just as amazing as National Hot Air Balloon Day. While hot air balloons may seem like a modern vessel, their history traces back over 240 years in France.
In the early 1780s, brothers and papermakers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier, realized they could capture smoke and use it as a lifting power. After several experiments, the brothers created a hot air balloon made of lightweight sackcloth and paper bags, using a sheep, a duck, and a rooster to avoid risking human life. It's hard to believe the first hot air balloon was a giant airborne papier-mâché project!
Quick Facts: History of Hot Air Balloons
June 5, 1783: Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier held their first massive, public demonstration for their hot air balloon in Annonay, France.
September 1783: Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier launched a second flight carrying a sheep, a duck, and a rooster to test the effects of altitude and to avoid loss of human life. The animals landed safely, paving the way for the first manned human flight later that November.
November 21, 1783: Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes become the first humans to achieve free flight, drifting over Paris for 25 minutes.
January 9, 1793: Jean-Pierre Blanchard completes the first manned balloon flight in America. He launched his hot air balloon with President George Washington watching from the ground.
1960: Ed Yost introduces the modern propane burner and ripstop nylon fabrics for hot air balloon fabric. His invention created a safer option for the modern hot air balloon with added color and flair for ballooning.
5 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON DAY
Attend a Local Festival: There are many festivals across the world all summer long celebrating hot air balloons. From local weekend rallies to massive festivals. Check out your local and state events to find a festival near you.
Take a Ride: If you are feeling brave, book a hot air balloon ride ride with an experienced (and certified) hot air balloon pilot.
Learn the History: The history behind hot air balloons is just as massive as the balloon, itself. Find a documentary, read a book, or find information on the Internet to spark your curiosity about this amazing invention!
Pop the Champagne: It's no secret that popping a bottle of champagne is a global aviation tradition upon landing to toast a successful flight! Toast the inventors, the pilots, and the balloon lovers, too!
Share the Sky: Use the hashtag #HotAirBalloonDay to share photos of balloons you have captured or experiences. Who knows, sharing your hot air balloon adventure may encourage others to go for a ride!
HISTORY
National Hot Air Balloon Day seems to have started in 2010. Though we can't find the original creator, we have found the day has grown organically by aviation historians and ballooning clubs around the world sharing their passion for hot air ballooning.