Centralia, IL Balloon Fest 2012

Balloon Glow at the Centralia, IL Hot Air Balloon Festival

The best way of travel, however, if you aren't in any hurry at all, if you don't care where you are going, if you don't like to use your legs, if you don't want to be annoyed at all by any choice of directions, is in a balloon. In a balloon, you can decide only when to start, and usually when to stop. The rest is left entirely to nature.

— William Pene du Bois, The Twenty-one Balloons

Dear Reader, what could be better after a breath-taking weekend adventure than coming home to pound out a quick description of all I saw to share with you? Of course, it helps to have photographic proof that I didn't just imagine it all. (You know I do.)  So, here for your enjoyment is the joyful evidence of this weekend's trip down to southern Illinois to visit Cousin and see boatloads of hot air balloons at the 23rd Annual Centralia IL Balloon Fest! 

Humpty Dumpty

Though we never got to take the much-anticipated hot air balloon ride (and thereby cross another item off our bucket lists), we were awestruck and delighted when the balloon pilots and their ground crews rolled out their magnificent contraptions all around us and began to inflate them right there amongst the crowd gathered around the pond.  Each balloon was amazingly colorful and unique.  They hailed from all over the U.S. and represented many different organizations.

Inflating

Lady Bug Balloon Handlers

Pepsi Balloon

Moment of Respect for Servicemen & Servicewomen, Past and Present

Once the balloons began to inflate, the entire crowd was enthralled--moving here and there to photograph them and to chat with the pilots.  I was amazed by the simple, child-like joy clearly visible on every face (young or old). Being in amongst the balloons, walking underneath them, talking with their pilots & crew, everyone seemed to be experiencing the same sense of magic. It filled the park and for those few hours, no one was thinking about problems, obligations or responsibilities.  There was only nostalgia, wonder and delight.

Sun Glasses

Humpty Dumpty

Lady Bug

All Lit Up

 The balloons were also there to race, taking part in several events over the weekend.  The races began at 6:30am each day.  In the evening, they all inflated again to light up and give the public a great show, known as the Balloon Glow.  An AH-mazing experience! To top it all off, the evening ended with a balloon-enhanced sing-a-long version of YMCA.

Humpty, Glowing

Lady Bug A Glow

Balloon Fest 2012 was truly an incredible experience! Definitely something everyone should see at least once in this life! 

There's something in a flying horse,
There's something in a huge balloon. 

— William Wordsworth, Peter Bell, Prologue. Stanza 1.

Hot Air Balloon Quotes courtesy of Great Aviation Quotes.