Colorado Springs’ Labor Day Lift Off a ‘top 10’ destination for hot air balloons
Labor Day Lift Off. Sunrise lift-off 7 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday, evening balloon glow 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., free, coloradosprings labordayliftoff.
If you think “jumbo shrimp” is an oxymoron, what would you call a 90-foot-tall shrimp?
Think I’m full of hot air? Think again. This weekend, a shrimp-shaped hot-air balloon will float over Colorado Springs along with balloons depicting Darth Vader, Yoda, a scarecrow and a crab for the annual Labor Day Lift Off.
Sunrise balloon lift-offs are set for 7 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Evening balloon glows will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
And it’s all free.
“Most balloon events across the country, everybody’s paying admission going into them,” said Scott Appelman, managing member of Hot Apple Productions.
“For the city of Colorado Springs to support that for quality of life, tourism and economic development — it shows a really healthy respect for them reinvesting in themselves.”
With 78 colorful hot-air balloons, more than ever, Labor Day Lift Off will be the biggest balloon event in Colorado and one of the top 10 in the U.S., Appelman said.
“They can get up close with the pilots and the crew,” he said of spectators. “They may even be engaged and asked to help inflate and be part of the balloon crew while they’re there on the field. Our pilots and the crews that are involved in the event really love the crowd interaction.”
For the ultimate balloon experience, book an hourlong flight above the park for $275.
Besides balloons, the Lift Off features paddleboarding, paddleboard yoga and wakeboarding on the lake, daily wood-carving contests with an auction of the finished products, a Dunkin’ Donuts doughnut-eating contest, night concerts by Suga Bear and the Showtime Band and The Martini Shot, plus 63 vendors selling goods. Last year’s event attracted about 160,000 people over the weekend, Appelman said.
“The romance of hot air balloons, the amazement that goes with it, is really very simple,” he said. “But it’s a very unique feeling to be out there and see it all come together. Whether it’s a 3-year-old child or a 90-year-old senior, you always see big smiles on their faces and amazement.”
Meanwhile, Appelman said, he’ll be “praying to the weather gods” for clear skies.
Labor Day Lift Off. Sunrise lift off 7 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday, evening balloon glow, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Memorial Park, 1605 East Pikes Peak Avenue, free, coloradospringslabordayliftoff
The annual Labor Day Lift Off event is this weekend at Memorial Park. There will be five opportunities to see the colorful orbs fill the sky throughout the weekend.
The annual Labor Day Lift Off event is this weekend at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs. Last year’s Lift Off attracted about 160,000 people over the holiday weekend.
The annual Labor Day Lift Off event is this weekend at Memorial Park. There will be five opportunities to see the colorful orbs fill the sky throughout the weekend.
The annual Labor Day Lift Off event is this weekend at Memorial Park. There will be five opportunities to see the colorful orbs fill the sky throughout the weekend.
The annual Labor Day Lift Off event is this weekend at Memorial Park. There will be five opportunities to see the colorful orbs fill the sky throughout the weekend.
The annual Labor Day Lift Off event is this weekend at Memorial Park. There will be five opportunities to see the colorful orbs fill the sky throughout the weekend.