Rally history
The 3rd weekend of July each year is the Riverton Rendezvous Balloon Rally. The rally began in 1981 as a tribute to the 75th anniversary of the publisher, Bob Peck, of the Riverton Ranger. Riverton is in west central Wyoming at the confluence of the Bighorn River and Wind River. The event is free to attend and pet friendly.
Balloons and schedule
The rally hosts 30 balloons for Saturday and Sunday with a smaller number of balloons flying on Friday. Some of the balloons will also candlestick, lighting up just burners, along Main St. during the Friday night street party and car cruise.
Saturday and Sunday the balloons launch in the morning from the Central Western College soccer field.
A balloon glow is scheduled for Saturday evening, also at the College, with a fireworks show afterward. Frequently the winds prevent the balloons from glowing and a candlestick event will take its place.
What is unique about this rally?
Something this rally does every year is host a celebrity guest speaker from the balloon community. Their presentation follows the Friday evening pilot check-in.
Saturday and Sunday flights feature a hare & hound competition. It can be a bit tricky since the hound balloons are not allowed to start their fans till the hare balloon has launched. Given the likelihood of some wind, the hare balloon usually has dropped its target and taken back off before the hounds are off the ground. This makes finding the target tricky. I’ve been known to follow the hare balloon for an entire flight only to find out the target was no longer on board.
And sometimes there is just too much wind for flying.
The rally provide the pilots with food for Saturday’s tailgate event which includes a sandwich making competition.
Photography Tips
The best chance for photography is on the launch field. There is typically enough wind that balloons will clear the launch area and spread out quickly.
What’s to do in the area?
Dining
- Breadboard – for sandwiches
- Trailhead – one of the few breakfast places in town, also open for lunch and dinner
- The Rusty Truck – for burgers and beer
- The Depot – for Mexican
For some more choices head to the town of Lander
- The Middle Fork – breakfast and brunch
- The Gannett Grill – for burgers, pizza and beer
- Scream Shack – for ice-cream
Hiking
If you headed to Lander for breakfast at The Middle Fork, highly recommended, then take a side trip out to Sinks Canyon State Park. It is definitely a unique place where the Popo-Agie River goes underground. There are a variety of hikes which are dog friendly including a couple of waterfalls.
Links and information
- Event page
- Facebook page
- email for pilots interested in attending the Riverton Rendezvous Balloon Rally
