One tradition kept alive by some local faithful ladies (Margaret, Candy & Virginia) and their multitude of volunteers is the Teton Valley Balloon Festival.
Budweiser Big Bucks Backing
It’s origin comes from August “Auggie” Anheuser Busch III, former Chairman of Anheuser-Busch. His passion for hot air balloons and connection through property holdings in Teton Valley led to his corporate sponsorship of the event until the mid nineties.
The baton was passed top the Teton Valley Chamber of Commerce who hosted the event with the help of sate grants until 2012. That’s when the three woman “Hot Crew” was born, who have faithfully stewarded the event and kept the valley tradition alive.
It is a significant event for my family because the prevailing air currents from 6 am to 8 am often carry the pilots directly over our house. On occasion they have even landed out in our hay field, much to our delight.
Countless mornings we awake to the sound of the big propane burners being fried up to adjust altitude as more hot air is added to the 90,000 cubic feet of colorfully contained air inside the nylon envelop.
Our cool morning mountain air is perfect for these flying bubbles. It takes less fuel to lift off and fly, not to mention the scenic eye candy that can be seen from every direction.
Teton Valley Balloon Festival Perfection
This year was no exception. Perfect launch weather. No clouds. No winds. Just bright sun and a celebratory atmosphere that makes this one of our favorite rites as a Teton Valley dweller.
Some of our kids even got to catch a ride, giving them a whole new perspective of their homeland. As for me, it’s still on my bucket list. But one year we did volunteer to help out with the launch. For me, it’s a close second to being in the basket and will be part of my July 4th plans for years to come.
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