Balloons Over Bend lifts off with morning launches, Night Glow events this weekend

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The annual "Balloons Over Bend" event is taking place this weekend in Central Oregon, offering morning balloon flights and evening "Night Glow" experiences.

Balloon launches are scheduled between 6:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., with spectators able to watch the setup and takeoff from the field at Jewell Elementary School. The event also features two "Night Glow" events where balloons remain grounded and illuminate as twilight falls, alongside live music, food and activities.

The skies cleared this morning, allowing some balloons to drift into the Central Oregon sky. Watching the balloons inflate and take off is a key part of the experience. Darren Kling, owner of Big Sky Balloon Company, noted the visual appeal of the event.

“Just seeing any balloon, the process of the inflation and the take off is, pretty interesting thing to watch, especially if you've never seen it before, but to have six of them all inflating at the same time and then taking off, it's yeah, just a really cool thing to view,” Kling said.

Both "Night Glow" events will begin at 5:00 p.m. A ticketed "Night Glow" event is scheduled for tonight at COCC's athletic field. A separate free "Night Glow" event will be held tomorrow at American Legion Park in Redmond.