Erie Hot Air Balloon Festival, CO

By Abby McAllister









On a cool morning in May more than 50 brightly colored hot air balloons begin to inflate and slowly rise into the clear sky.  The Rocky Mountains are clearly visible in the distance as the sky comes alive with all the colors of the rainbow.  Although there are sounds of the balloon burners firing to keep the balloons afloat, everything else is silence.  Soon you hear shouts from kids “look at the pig balloon” or “that one looks like a circus tent!”  My kids stand in awe, sometimes pointing here or there, but mostly mesmerized. 
This is the beginning of the annual Erie Town Fair and Balloon festival and it is magical.  The balloon launch takes place on the Colorado National Golf Course and is just the start of a great weekend outdoors.  There are many other events going on including a pancake breakfast, airplane rides at the nearby Erie Airport, and the expected blow-up and booth entertainment and over 200 craft and food vendors.  The 18th annual festival occurred on the weekend of May 16-18th and attracted over 20,000 visitors.  When we visited, a few years before, there were very few people out at the launch itself.  I honestly had no idea it was anything special.  We saw the balloons from my mom’s porch and decided to go check it out.  Even once we arrived at the launch site, there were so few people that I assumed it was just a bunch of ballooners getting together informally.  There is no entrance fee or anything and you can get up close and personal with the balloons.  This is a great opportunity to learn from a lot of ballooners.  It is a real, small town, neighborhood event.  
When you go:  Erie, CO is located just north of Denver, CO off I-25.  The balloon launch and airplane rides take place at a different but nearby location to the rest of the fair.  The balloon launch is worth it even if you don’t go visit the rest of the festival.  For more (limited) information click here or here for more information on this and other events happening in the town of Erie,CO.  
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Hot air balloons flying off to the North of Denver, CO
Hot air balloons, image, Erie, CO, Colorado, Events, Festival, Rocky mountains
All is silence as hot air balloon after hot air balloon launches into the clear, crisp morning air.
hot air balloon, image, Erie, CO, Colorado, fun for kids, Rocky Mountains
The boys are still in their P.J.s.