For four days in mid-September, the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport at the eastern edge of Queensbury becomes the launch field for the Adirondack Balloon Festival. More than a hundred balloons make the early-morning and early-evening ascensions; in between there is a small festival on the field, with food trucks and craft vendors and tethered rides for visitors.
The best slots to attend are the 6:30 am Saturday morning mass ascension (clear, cool air; postcard light) and the Friday-night balloon glow, when several dozen balloons inflate after dark and fire their burners on the ground in unison. Admission and parking are free; arrive an hour early for the dawn launches and bring layers.