2011 Great Balloon Race Scheduled for April 30
For both the young and the young at heart, the color and majesty of the hot-air balloons in the Kentucky Derby Festival Great Balloon Race makes the early-morning wake-up well worth it. The U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great Balloon Race is scheduled for 7 a.m. on April 30. As always with hot-air balloons, rainy weather or high winds can postpone — or even cancel — the race.
First held in 1973, the Great Balloon Race began modestly with just eight balloons launched from Iroquois Park. The race now attracts more than 30,000 who turn out to watch nearly 50 balloons compete.
The Great Balloon Race is what's known in aeronautical circles as a "hare and hound" race. The U.S. Bank hot-air balloon leads the way and then lands in a vacant field and spreads a giant vinyl "X" on the ground. The other balloons follow along and, after the U.S. Bank balloon lands, remain aloft and drop a small bag of Kentucky Bluegrass seed as close to the "X" as they can.
This year the Kentucky Derby Festival is also sponsoring a second race on the previous morning, April 29, which is also scheduled for 7 a.m. That race is called the U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great Balloon Rush Hour Race.
Posted on Apr 7, 2011 by Ivonne Rovira
