After missing two years in a row, a two-day event in Park City is back to send hot air balloons into the sky this weekend.
Autumn Aloft is happening this Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m., weather permitting. It’s the first time in three years after one event was lost to the pandemic, and the other because of bad weather conditions.
The balloons will launch from Park City's North 40 Fields at 2530 Kearns Boulevard. If the weather is good, meaning low winds and no precipitation, they could be in the air through 9 a.m.
Spectators will be able to see the balloons from around the Park City area, but the best view is from the launch site, where there’s also plenty of room to keep social distance. Organizers say bring chairs, food and extra layers for a possibly chilly fall-weather morning.
This weekend, there’ll be 18 balloons, four fewer than the most recent number of 22 in 2018. Organizer Meisha Ross said that’s in part to keep things simple amid the ongoing pandemic.
She encouraged the community to come out and bring their cameras. She also asks drone photographers to be mindful of the legal flight boundary. The event is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, and drones aren’t allowed near the balloons.
“It’s just a situation we don’t feel mixes and the FAA doesn’t think is a good combination. So, if you are a drone pilot and you’re looking to get some good drone footage, you just need to stay out of the flight area. If I were going to fly a drone, I would probably hike up around Park City Mountain Resort or something along those lines and just maintain a very, very, very far distance,” Ross said.
For more information about the event, visit autumnaloft.com.
