Hot air balloons fill the sky after three month delay to festival

A hot air balloon festival that was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic has finally taken place in Russia. Balloons took to the air for the 19th annual International Aeronautics Festival Golden Ring.

Pereslavl-Zalesskiy: Majestically floating in the sky, 15 colourful balloons make their journey above the Russian town of Pereslavl-Zalesskiy.

The annual International Aeronautics Festival Golden Ring was due to take place in April, but like so many events across the world, it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now the time has finally come to take flight. This is the 19th edition of the festival with seven flights taking place across four days.

Some elements have been cancelled by organisers, including the nighttime show. But the stars of the show - the huge hot-air balloons - were present.

They fly above Suzdal and Pereslavl-Zalessakiy – two cities of the so-called Golden Ring of Russia. Other than the pandemic, the only other thing that could scupper plans is the weather.

Officials monitor the wind and plan the route for the next flight accordingly. Flights generally take place twice a day, early in the morning and before sunset.

Once airborne, harnessing the wind correctly is key. During the flight, participants perform a simple task called Hare and Wolves.

The pilots, known as the Wolves, copy the trajectory of the judge's balloon, known as the Hare. They follow the judge and try to hit a target on the ground set by the judge.

While the competition is a bit of fun, the main thing for these pilots is the joy of taking flight.

There's even an opportunity for festival visitors to get off the ground. Tourist trips take amateurs up into the sky, with certificates awarded to those who complete a flight.

The festival ran from 16-19 July (2020). Seventeen participants from Essentuki, Belgorod, Samara, Kaluga, St. Petersburg and Moscow region took part in the event.

(With inputs from AP)