NightGlow set for Mall, five launches from airport planned
With names like Almost Heaven Too, Blue Dragon and Skydancer, 21 hotair balloons will take flight over Morgantown, weather-permitting, five times Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Balloons Over Morgantown, sponsored by University Toyota and powered by Hagedorrn’s LP Gas Service, returns to the area for the third time.
Joining the other 20 balloons will be Fun One Two, piloted by Morgantown’s Van Anderson, who is also the event’s balloonmeister.
Anderson was also balloonmeister of the long-running Mountaineer Balloons Festival that hosted upwards of 40 hotair balloons. That event ended because of construction projects where the festival was held.
After a few years with no balloons, original organizers decided it was time to bring them back and Balloons Over Morgantown was founded.
The event consists of NightGlow on Thursday followed by as many as five launches over the course of the weekend, weather permitting. All launches will be from the Morgantown Municipal Airport and NightGlow will be at the Morgantown Mall.
NightGlow will begin about 6:30 p.m. with 17 balloons expected to participate. The balloons will be tethered and light up the night sky as pilots ignite their burners.
The balloons often stagger their inflation but the plan is to have everyone inflated and glowing together by 6:30-7 p.m.
Planned launches
Friday and Saturday — 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Sunday — 8 a.m.
All launches will be from the Morgantown Airport, near the main runway.
Only crew members will be permitted in the launch area, but there are areas nearby to see the balloons liftoff. There are also locations that will offer views of the balloons once they take off.
Organizers also encourage balloon chasing — following the balloon’s path until it lands and then helping the crew fold and pack the balloon for the next flight.
The path of the balloons is dependent on wind current, as the pilots can raise and lower the balloons, but the wind takes them where it may.
Though not an official event, Anderson and his Fun One Two will do a few tethered balloon rides at 6 p.m. today.
