The annual Hot Air Balloon Rally in Pittsfield looks to have dodged this week’s heavy rains and wind, perhaps the result of accumulated wisdom after having been around for 44 years.
Scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, the event should feature more than a dozen hot air balloon pilots and crews from across the country as well as a host of other events. They include helicopter rides, the popular “anything that floats” river race, a cornhole tournament, a whole mess of music, food and games, and a concluding Cow Chip Bingo Raffle to wind up the weekend on an even lighter note. After dark on Friday and Saturday pilots will inflate their tethered balloons as part of the fan-favorite Night Glows.
The volunteer-run event is the Suncook Valley Rotary Club’s largest annual fundraiser. It supports scholarships and community initiatives throughout Barnstead, Chichester, Epsom, Loudon, and Pittsfield.
Admission is free, but parking costs $10.
The huge storm system that swept through the Northeast this week looked ominous, as hot air balloons notably don’t float well in heavy rain or high wind. New York state saw an all-time rainfall record set in the Hudson River valley amid some serious flooding. Extreme precipitation like that is becoming more common throughout the world as the climate continues to heat up.
Some New Hampshire sites saw 2 to 3 inches of rain over a day and a half from the storm but we dodged the worst.
Importantly for the Hot Air Balloon Rally, most precipitation will have left Pittsfield by Friday evening at the latest, with a sunny, warm Saturday and a cloudy but dry Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
For the complete event schedule, including details about parking, visit nhballoonrally.org.
