Balloon Fiesta fills Vernon sky

Photo: Contributed - Peter Lepold

The majestic sight of balloons floating over Vernon coincided with the first day of Vernon Winter Carnival, Friday.

The official opening of carnival will take place at 5 p.m. in Polson Park, with the Balloon Glow following directly after. If it's raining, the balloons will not inflate, but will be offering a "twinkle show" to the public. It is an opportunity for people to get up close to the balloons and talk to the pilots.

Similarly, launch sites will be announced prior to each flight, depending on weather.

For the pilots, the 23rd annual Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is a weekend of friendly competition.

On Friday and Saturday they participate in Hare and Hound chases. The first balloon, "the hare," makes use of a 10-minute start to find a suitable site to locate a target. The rest of the pilots, "the hounds," use their skills to track the hare and drop markers as close the target as possible. It sounds easy, but wind shifts and altitude can make it difficult for even the most skilled pilot.

Sunday's flag grab requires the pilots to employ strategy, skill and experience as they attempt to guide the giant balloons close enough to a 12-foot pole located near Swan Lake to grab the flag attached to it.

Pilots can launch from anywhere around the lake, with crews carefully watching the winds, in order to choose the best launch site. Each pilot only gets one attempt to get the flag. 

Full carnival event information can be found at www.vernonwintercarnival.com

— By Kevin Rothwell