In early September, a hot air balloon festival is held annually in Colorado Springs, which children absolutely love.

It's due to the Labor Day weekend hot air balloon festival, 'Labor Day Lift Off.'

This year marks the 49th edition of this festival, which is already a nationally famous event, appearing on lists of the best hot air balloon festivals in the United States.

I also went with my kids, and it was enjoyable since it's an event we could enjoy without traveling far.

What makes this festival particularly attractive is that it is free for anyone to enjoy.

The large hot air balloons participating in the event typically cost between $70,000 and $200,000, and you also need to match equipment like baskets, burners, and fuel tanks, along with a trailer. Considering not just the purchase cost but also the operating costs, for someone like me, just going to the event and watching is a profitable deal.

When we arrived, people were gathering in the park early in the morning, and the kids rubbed their sleepy eyes, waiting for the moment the hot air balloons would rise into the sky.

The principle of how hot air balloons rise is simple. A burner attached to the basket shoots fire to heat the air.

The heated air is lighter than the cold air, which causes the balloon to rise.

The fuel used at this time is mainly propane gas, the same type we use for barbecue grills or camping stoves.

However, since hot air balloons are large, they carry several large fuel tanks.

Typically, large hot air balloons carry many passengers and are large themselves, so they can use 5 to 10 propane tanks for a single flight.

So, if you consider just the fuel cost, it costs about $80 for a one-hour flight.

As the sun began to rise, colorful hot air balloons started to ascend into the sky one by one, and the scene was so beautiful it was hard to describe in words.

The kids kept exclaiming, "Wow, look at that!" excitedly pointing at the sky.

This year, especially around 70 to 80 hot air balloons took to the sky, making it seem like the sky was filled with colorful balloons.

And not only the typical round hot air balloons but also uniquely shaped balloons caught the children's attention.

There were balloons shaped like Yoda and Darth Vader, a giant crab called Claw'd the Crab, as well as a new red apple-shaped balloon called 'Cosmic Crisp', and a pepper bundle shaped balloon named 'Visit Albuquerque Ristra', and the kids particularly loved the 'Mario' balloon.

During the day, various experiences and activities continue around the park.

Music played, and even a drone show followed, making the atmosphere feel like a performance.

The kids were thrilled taking pictures next to the brightly lit hot air balloons, and I also felt how precious it was to share that moment with my family.

Labor Day Lift Off is not just an event to see hot air balloons; it is a large festival where local residents and travelers come together.

Every year, new events and activities are added, so there is a different joy each time you go.

This experience with my kids has become a new memory for our family.

If you live in Colorado Springs, it's no exaggeration to say that this is an event everyone should attend at least once.

In fact, once you go, it naturally becomes a tradition to visit every year.