Photos of the 2017 Great American Balloon Race

Published 10:54 pm Friday, June 2, 2017

Jomin Davis, third from right, Adam Graham, second from right, and Graham’s 19-month-old son, Colton, take a selfie as balloons take off behind them.

The Danville-Boyle County Airport hosted the 28th annual Great American Balloon Race Friday evening. A total of 19 teams competed in the race, which was a “hare-n-hound” style competition. The “hare” balloon takes off first, and the competitors — the “hounds” — take off around 10 minutes later and attempt to follow the flight path of the hare. When the hare balloon lands, its team deploys a giant “X,” which the hound balloons attempt to drop bags of grass seed on. The closest bag to the center of the X is declared the winner.

Order prints of these and more photos from the balloon race here.

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