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After successfully organizing 42 balloon festivals in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, the Slovenian Skywalkers balloon club started what might become a traditional balloon festival in tourist town of Bled, complementing the many balloon festivals around Slovenia. For example, Maribor organizes one in March, Terme Ptuj in the summer, Vojnik in between, and so on. There are many Slovene balloon clubs, including some 25 active pilots, among them two women. One of them, Maša Šorn, also flew in Bled.

After 12 years in Bohinj, the organizers decided to move to Bled, with the surrounding mountains offering spectacular views and flights over Mount Triglav, Slovenia's highest mountain. Only the most experienced pilots are up to the challenge of strong air currents, and because only winter is suitable for such flights, the festival took place from 8th to 10th February. Its first day was cancelled due to the burja (a strong gusty wind) in the Littoral region, affecting wind currents as far as Upper Carniola.

The competition

Twenty teams from five countries applied to the event co-organized by the mayor of Bled Janez Fajfar and Eva Štravs Podlogar from Bled Tourism. Besides those from neighbouring countries, pilots flew in from the UK, USA, the Czech Republic and even Brazil. Considering the wind direction, two disciplines were set up for the teams to compete in - Long Distance and Fly. The time of take-offs was determined by a meteorologist at pre-flight meetings in the early mornings. That same meteorologist was the Long Distance winner, taking off from Sports Park Bled and landing in Rovignano, Italy, near Avignano Airbase. Filip Štucin was the only one able to acquire a permission to land in the neighbouring country since the Schengen air borders are not to fall until March.

In the Fly competition, pilots compete by dropping a marker onto a target kilometres away from their take-off site: a difficult task when only wind currents steer the vessel. Darko Kralj won that challenge.

A Show for the visitors

Saturday night was time for Night Glow, when balloons displayed their vivid colours in the dark by breathing fire into them: a great opportunity for the audience to come closer, talk to the pilots and see the balloons up close. The monumental balls of incandescent colours rose above the crowd under a starry evening, before the sunny final day of the festival, which was also reserved for the visitors.

Starting at eight in the morning when winds are moderate, it was a day of panoramic flights for those willing to pay the price, but the view was worth it: an aerial view of at least 15 balloons flying over Lake Bled and over a backdrop of the highest Slovenian snow-caped peaks. Some balloons ascended to 750 meters to drop seven skydivers, performing acrobatics in the air, while other pilots liked to impress tourists on the ground by hovering very low above the town.

My ride with Tomo Weber, a Slovenian living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was at approximately 400 meters from Bled to Lesce airport. He has flown all over the world in his 30-year career as a balloon pilot, and performed a smooth landing, making piloting such a huge vessel it seem like simplicity itself.

Back in the Sports Park, children were able to experience a bit of balloon fun as well, although only ascending and landing, but were easily comforted by some candy floss and helium balloons. Accompanied by music and commentary, the event was a "must see" weekend attraction that hopefully started a great tradition.