Mysterious Almost 50,000 visitors at the balloon festival in Château-d'Oex VD
The 45th edition of the Château-d'Oex VD International Balloon Festival attracted almost 50,000 visitors. The nine-day festival came to an end on Sunday in glorious sunshine.
02.02.2025, 15:53
SDA
Despite a few rainy days and the cancellation of the anniversary evening, the outcome was extremely positive, the organizers announced on Sunday. Five days of balloon flights enabled the pilots and the public to enjoy the spectacle to the full. The 45th edition of the balloon festival recorded more than 220 flights, which equates to a total of 300 flight hours.
One memorable moment on Saturday was the farewell to the famous "Piper" balloon, which is shaped like a Scottish bagpiper. Having traveled all the way from England, this iconic balloon was inflated one last time on the festival site, accompanied by the sound of bagpipes. The maiden voyage of this balloon took place in Château-d'Oex in 1996. Today, it can no longer fly due to the wear and tear on its seams.
