L&N Federal Credit Union Great BalloonFest: Great Balloon Rush-Hour Race
The Kentucky Derby Festival Great Balloon Race is one of Louisville’s beloved family traditions, and this year, the Derby Festival will feature both Friday and Saturday morning races. The multi-race docket gives spectators young and old more chances to take in the exhilarating view of boundless colors and shapes.
Just 7 balloons flew in the inaugural race from Iroquois Park in 1973.
The Great Balloon Rush-Hour Race is a Hare & Hound Race. This type of race is when all the balloons launch from the same site (Bowman Field). One balloon takes off first and is the Hare balloon. The other balloons are called the Hounds, and they will launch at a predetermined time after the Hare (usually 5 to 10 minutes after). The Hare lands at a suitable site and lays out a large fabric X, usually about 50 feet in diameter. The Hound balloons attempt to drop their markers as close to the center of the X as possible. The closest marker achieves the highest score.
