2009 St. Jean, Quebec Hot Air Balloon Festival
Hot Air Ballooning Highlights this Montreal-Area Summer Festival
Aug 5, 2008
The International Balloon Festival of St. Jean sur Richelieu features music, rides, attractions and a lot of hot air — more than 100 colorful hot air balloons in all including a dozen special shape balloons. This year's special shape balloons feature a court jester, an airplane, a dragon, a panda, a bumble bee, Old MacDonald's farmhouse, and Wally the flying clownfish.
Montreal-Area Balloon Rides
You can hitch a hot air balloon ride every morning at 6 a.m. or every evening at 6 p.m. during the festival. For the balloons to depart, the atmospheric conditions must be just right. That means a sunrise or sunset departure, cool temperatures, light winds and no nearby storm cells. The flat Montérégie farmland region, which is located less than 30 minutes southeast of Montreal, adds to the safe trip as well.
The Balloonmeister Calls the Shots
Who decides when the weather conditions are just right for a balloon ride? The festival’s balloonmeister.
Lucien Desbiens has been the official balloonmeister of the St. Jean sur Richelieu festival since 1996. And no, it’s not a just a ceremonial title. The balloonmeister is the flight director who oversees and distributes weather conditions and topography data whenever there is a gathering of balloons.
“A balloonmeister has the responsibility to let the pilots fly with confidence,” Desbiens said.
And what Desbiens says goes. Without his OK, the balloons will be grounded. Desbiens always errs on the side of safety.
“It’s the first thing I think about. These pilots place their confidence in you,” he said.
Desbiens adds that while there is no official balloonmeister school, there are balloon flight instruction schools. You do need a license to fly a balloon.
Hot Air Balloon Etiquette
A morning balloon ride will cost about $160 per person, while an evening or weekend ride costs $200. And that doesn’t include the cost of the bubbly. Desbiens says proper balloon etiquette means offering a glass of champagne to the owner of the property where the balloon lands.
St. Jean Balloon Fest Festival Extras
One of the more popular events of the festival is Night Glows, which turns the on-site balloons into giant colorful illuminated works of art. Night Glows are held Aug. 11 and 12 at 8:30 p.m. The main site also offers amusement park rides and attractions as well as live music.
Flo Rida and Simple Plan Perform
The 2009 Ballon Fest concert schedule inlcudes:
- Simple Plan Aug. 8 at 9 p.m.
- Flo Rida Aug. 9 at 10 p.m.
- Murray Head Aug. 10 at 9 p.m.
- Eric Lapointe Aug. 14 at 9 p.m.
- Wyclef Jean Aug. 15 at 10 p.m.
The 26th International Balloon Festival of St. Jean sur Richelieu Info
- WHEN: Aug. 8 to 16, 2009
- WHERE: The St. Jean sur Richelieu Municipal Airport
- COST: Site access costs $15 for adults (13 and older), $7 for children 3 to 12, and $37 for a family pass (two adults, two children). Parking costs $5.
- Ballon rides cost $160 for morning flights; $200 for evening and weekend flights.
- HOURS: The main site opens at 3:30 p.m. during the week and noon on weekends.
- CALL: (450) 347-9555
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