Last year Jesse and I went to Indianola to watch the National Balloon Classic. I had only been to it one other time, but it is something I want to try going to on the regular. The rough thing about it is, that the weather has to be perfect for the balloon to lift off and it seems that happens less than half the days during the National Balloon Classic. But Jesse and I were lucky and on the evening that we went, the balloons did indeed take flight.
Here is the first collection of images from the trip:
I took a TON of pictures on this evening. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. It was a really cool event and I really fun evening. If you have never been I highly recommend it.
These are lovely!
I had really wanted to make it down this year, as I haven’t been since I was about 8 or 9. I’d love to take the kids. Similarly, I’d love to catch the Color the Wind up in Clear Lake, but keep missing it.
…I also desperately want to go to Hobo Days, but Jon said I’m not really allowed to go into Hobo Village due to safety concerns, what with all of the stabbing and such.
If I make it to the Balloon Classic this year or Color the Wind next year, I’ll let you know and you are welcome to ride along.
Jon sounds soft, cause if you’ve never been stabbed by a hobo, are you really living? If you do go to Color the Wind, definitely get the spikes to put on your boots and for the boots of all the people that you go with. It could save your life.
There is a very good chance that a picture from the hot air balloon classic is one of the pictures I enter in the Iowa State Fair for festivals.
You had suggested somewhere entering one of the pictures from the rally in the festival category. While that won’t happen, there is a chance I might enter one in the People category or whatever they call it. I’ve seen at least one protest picture displayed there.
Also, I need to add Hobo Days to by things to do this year. August 7-9. That is very doable. At least as of now.
I’d also like to get to a Meskwaki Powwow some day. Or a Nordic fest in Decorah. Or the Houby Days in the Czech Village. That is my birthday weekend, so that would be my annual birthday road trip.
I just discovered that there is a testicle festival at an Orchard in Donnellson in June.
https://www.appleberryorchard.com/appleberry-orchard-event-testical-festival.htm
And the artwork on their graphic is worth the price of admission.
Of course, there is Trekfest. Which I’ve been to once I think. There is a Pickle Days in Walker, I’d like to checkout some year. And Kraut Days in Lisbon. I love a good small town festival!
If you wouldn’t mind a hanger-on, I would totally hitch on to those! That would be great. I am a pretty crap driver.
I 100% agree on hobo stabbing! Live life dangerously, my dude. You only get a chance to meet a bundle-owner once, maybe twice.
I would love to see the options for the hot air balloon photos – that would be so perfect for festivals. So perfectly Iowa. And I would absolutely love to see a protest photo in there – you had some just incredible photos in those batches.
That is so weird, I JUST today heard about the testicle festival in a comment on a post on some Iowa Chill profile. I love how random Iowa is with our bizarre little traditions – the non-phobic or hateful ones, anyway.
The whole album can be viewed here:
https://photography139.smugmug.com/Fairs-Festivals/2024-National-Balloon-Classic
But the picture I’m considering is this one:
Some consideration to this one:
And minor consideration to a cropped version of this one of 2 balloons colliding. But probably not:
I love all three of those. I think my personal favorite is the top one, and it feels the most State Fair-y. But maybe the second one is the most Festival-y? I can talk myself around each of them. I also really like the third one, but I think the other two have a better shot of getting in.
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