Butterfly Balloon Inflation at Sonoma County Classic
Saturday, July 18th, 2026 at 12:52:54 PM · 2026/Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic
A large, colorful butterfly-shaped hot air balloon is being inflated on a grass field during the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic festival. The balloon features vibrant purple, red, yellow, and orange wing patterns with a whimsical green caterpillar-like head, and is still lying on its side in the process of filling with hot air. A crew member dressed in dark clothing holds a tether rope in the foreground, bracing against the balloon's growing buoyancy. In the background, a RE/MAX-branded traditional hot air balloon is already fully inflated, and a crowd of festival spectators lines the perimeter behind safety ropes. The overcast sky gives the scene a soft, diffused light typical of a cool Northern California morning.
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