Great Galena Balloon Race set for June 20-22 at Eagle Ridge Resort

Thousands of visitors will land in the beautiful northwest Illinois city of Galena each year for The Great Galena Balloon Race, a three-day event that fills the sky with vivid colors as dozens of hot air balloons take their gentle ascent for a race where there’s no need for speed.

This year’s race runs from Friday, June 20, to Sunday, June 22, at Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa, located within The Galena Territory, and the race isn’t the only thing people can enjoy. The event will have live music, a classic car show, food and drink, a night glow show and other family-friendly activities.

The Great Galena Balloon Race brings together nearly two dozen hot air balloon owners from throughout the Midwest who have come to scenic Jo Daviess County each June to enjoy a ride in the air and compete against one another for top prizes. Contrary to the name, the event isn’t really a race — it’s just been what such events have been called for years. The competition angle comes from pilots rising to the challenge of dropping markers from the balloons on targets below.

While most people have seen film and photos of hot air balloons, there’s nothing quite like seeing them up close, feeling the heat as the burners blast a burst of hot air into the balloons and seeing them lifted skyward, said event coordinator Cooper Williams.

Williams also co-owner of On The Fly Inflatables in Galena, which offers balloon rides in the area and inflatable play structures.

“It heightens the other senses when you can be there in person,” Williams said. “A video doesn’t show you the whole aspect of it. In person, you can see what goes on behind the scenes and how everything plays out. It’s nice to see the whole thing.”

The pilots rely on wind for the balloons’ horizontal movements, “steering” them by adjusting altitude to find wind streams moving in different directions; it’s a skill that requires a thorough understanding of wind patterns and precise control. The balloons also fly better closer to sunrise and sunset, where there are fewer weather-related elements that can affect the balloons’ flight. That’s why the races start early and later in the day: 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Spectators get to see the colors and patterns take shape as each balloon inflates, and the colors really shine during a Night Glow Extravaganza after one of the races, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The glow of the balloons against the backdrop of the night sky is a sight to behold.

“It’s cool to see them inflated and stationary. Without ever taking off, they just stand in the same spot with a little bit of movement,” Williams said. “With the glow, you can see the balloon and the design from inside out almost, and there’s so much more color when it’s dark out.”

The event has grown since its began in 2002, when it started out as a way to help a good cause.

Cooper developed Type 1 diabetes as a child, and found a sense of comfort in managing it through participation at Camp Hertko Hollow, a camp for children with Type 1 diabetes in Boone, Iowa. Cooper’s experiences led his father, Andy Williams, who also co-owns On The Fly Inflatables, to organize the balloon race to help raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and to send children to Hertko Hollow.

Since the first race, the event has raised more than $350,000 through entry fees, admissions and concessions.

“We’ve been getting more and more people to come out, and it seems like they’re more excited to be involved,” Williams said. “It makes it more enjoyable and more fun.”

Cooper is learning to become a certified balloon pilot and is in line to take over the family business in the next few years. His first ride in a balloon was when he was just 3 weeks old, and being in the big balloons has been a constant in his life. His time in the air helps first-time riders who sometimes need a little extra help with high altitudes.

On The Fly’s rides let passengers enjoy a leisurely look at the scenery, giving them a bird’s-eye view of the lay of the land — they’re high enough to get a good look, but not so high that riders can’t can spot wildlife, or sometimes even hear a backyard conversation below. Flights are booked at buyaballoonride.com, and are offered seven days a week from May through October around the Galena area. Sunset flights are offered each day, while sunrise flights are available on weekends. Rides are typically within a 5-mile radius of launch sites, but can float a little farther, depending on where the wind takes them; they last about an hour and passengers have to stand for the duration.

After the seeing the flight’s sights, a champagne celebration at the launch site caps things off with a toast. With the flights co-piloted by the wind, each one is different, and that brings many people back for repeat rides, Williams said.

“When you come and do it with us, we try to make you feel like you’re going to enjoy the whole thing every single time,” Williams said. “If you fly with us this summer, it’s going to be even better next summer, and even better the next summer because every flight is different. You never fly the same flight.”

Admission is $5, children 3 years and younger are free. It is a cash only event.

Events begin at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Times are subject to change due to weather conditions.

Find the event on Facebook or go to greatgalenaballoonrace.com for more information.