Overview
- Sunday’s closing session remained a static display under a yellow flag, and Dawn Patrol did not launch due to inadequate conditions.
- Both Saturday sessions lacked mass ascensions this year, leaving crowds hoping for a final-day launch that ultimately did not occur.
- Organizers reset tickets for sessions without launches and pushed park-and-ride options after nearby parking filled early on busy mornings.
- Balloonmeister Henry Rosenbaum leads go/no-go decisions with input from flight-safety officers, launch directors known as zebras, the weather team and an FAA inspector.
- Vendors reported mixed results, with strong sales on warmer, crowded days and steep discounts to move inventory on slower, weather-affected sessions.