IOU Balloon Glow...

By Sara Hollerich

The National Ballooning Classic is held in Indianola, Iowa every summer during the last week of July and first week of August. During the classic balloons can be seen floating all over the metro and surrounding areas landing in strange places – like unsuspecting people’s back yards.

I caught wind of the balloon glow late in the game and always wondered what it was. Once the balloons are done with their flight for the day they are brought back to the field and reinflated. The balloons are not flown after dark but the glow consists of the balloons being blown up and while the fire is going they glow softly.

Chris H., Doug P., Emily V., Sara H., Kristen C. and David W. all went down to the balloon glow. We got their early and enjoyed the variety of foods that were available. I had an elk burger. Yum.

There were balloons of all shapes. The purple people eater, a bottle of wine, and my favorite a big tree with a toucan perched on it. There were also the regular types of balloons. They are beautiful to look at, but the glow was really pretty. It is not often that you get to see something like this. Just after dark they began. The announcer would count down then the people would fire up their balloons all at the same time. It was really beautiful.

They let everyone go out on the field and walk around for a while during the balloon glow. It was pretty amazing.