There are few things that make for a better Instagram shot than tons of hot air balloons ascending in the sky behind you. (#Dreamy)... This profile pic was once easily attainable in Greenville at Freedom Weekend Aloft – a hot air balloon festival which started in 1982 (okay, so maybe the #selfie era was not yet in full swing).
With America’s birthday right around the corner, we wanted to share the history of this patriotic festival (which originally coincided with Fourth of July) – one that many Greenvillians surely have fond memories of.
In 1982, the Greenville Chamber of Commerce created the festival. What they did not expect was for 100,000 people to show up. Being an instant success, the balloon festival became the second largest in the country in just four short years – and, by the 1990s, it was making a $16 million yearly contribution to Greenville’s economy.
If it was so successful, what happened to it?
Trouble in paradise first started when the Donaldson Center told the festival they could no longer use the center’s facilities to host the festival. Eventually, the site of the festival moved to Anderson + the dates were moved from the Fourth to Memorial Day weekend. In 2006, the event moved its location to Simpsonville (thanks to some financial help from Greenville Hospital System); but alas, in 2014 the Freedom Aloft organizers officially filed for bankruptcy. #RIP.
In a way though, the hot air balloon festival was able to live on. In 2018, the Cancer Association of Anderson produced the Hot Air Affair: Rising Above Cancer. The event was a success, and the Hot Air Affair returned this past May + will continue to be an annual event. I’m marking my calendar for May 2020 – because what’s cooler than a hot air balloon ride over Anderson? Hopefully I will also see y’all among the clouds.
If you have any personal stories or photos from Freedom Weekend Aloft, or Hot Air Affair from over the years, we invite you to share them with us in the comments or in an email.
