Roughly 75 brightly colored balloons will float over Colorado Springs during the Labor Day Liftoff festival. This liftoff will be held Sept. 3-5 at Memorial Park and includes an array of activities and events for the whole family. This is one of the largest free hot air balloon festivals held in the country.
Returning Liftoff Festival Events
The event begins daily with balloon lift-offs that take place between 7 and 9 a.m. Sunset balloon glows will light up the sky at roughly 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday evenings. An assortment of musical talent will entertain throughout the event as well as the Wings of Blue Demonstration Team. This hand-selected group represents the Air Force and Armed Forces and has gone through rigorous training for freefall and canopy flying, smoke systems, flag systems and formation flying maneuvers.
As with past festivals, many fan-favorite activities will be offered this year. This includes the Krispy Kreme donut eating contest, the United States Air Force Academy Wings of Blue skydive jumpers, UpaDowna stand-up paddle boarding, and more. Children 5-13 years of age can enter the donut eating contest free while anyone over the age of 14 will pay a $10 participation fee. There will be two age divisions for this event.
Food and merchandise vendors will also be on-site throughout the entire festival with items to purchase.
Newly Added Liftoff Events
Several new events have been added for participant entertainment this year, including the Balloons, Brews and Bites Happy Hour, the walk-through balloon experience, the model balloon display, aerial acrobats, and the Orangetheory 5K walk or run.
The Balloons, Brews and Bites Happy Hour will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Molly Sharples, the marketing director for Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, explained this event will offer discounted food and drinks as well as entertainment for the whole family. Events include the remote-control balloon display, aerial acrobatic performances, taekwondo presentations, priority access to the KidZone and a concert series featuring Mosquito Pass and The Dirty Secrets.
The new walk-through balloon experience allows kids the opportunity to walk through balloons that are inflated and laying on their sides. This will be held from 3:30 to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and costs $4 per person.
The Lace Up & Lift Off Orangetheory 5K will take place at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. Registration is $30 up until September 1 and $35 if you register on the day of the event. Packet pickup will be at Orangetheory Fitness at 7469 N. Academy Blvd. at specific times on Sept. 1 and 3.
The Labor Day Lift Off Lounge VIP package is available for purchase for either a morning or glow session. Priced at $115 per person, this includes food, drinks, reserved seating, a private restroom and a parking pass. Discounted pricing is offered for kids 12 and under. VIPs also get entry into a drawing for two free balloon rides from Rainbow Ryders.
Admission to the event is free and parking passes are available for purchase on the website www.coloradospringslabordayliftoff.com. Spectators are welcome to look for other parking options as well as ride a bike to the event free of charge with PikeRide. Information about the bike program is available at www.pikeride.org. Those interested are asked to download the PikeRide app and log into their account. Enter the code LDLO22 in the coupons tab.
This 46th annual event is produced by Hot Apple Productions, LLC in affiliation with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Company, Inc. and Colorado Springs Sports Corporation. Sharples said this is the seventh consecutive year her organization has been involved with the festival.
“We help with the operations and logistics side, not directly involved with the balloons,” Sharples explained. “We have over 120 volunteers that are divided into two groups: balloons and event,” Sharples said this year’s festival is expected to attract over 185,000 spectators, which is in line with past attendance numbers.
