Hot air balloons light up Normandy Park

Originally published December 13, 2020 at 2:00 pmUpdated December 16, 2020 at 7:10 pm

Hot air balloon pilot Eliav Cohen sends up a burst of propane-fueled flame to keep the tethered balloon upright at City Hall Park in Normandy Park on Saturday night.
Two seven-story balloons from Seattle Ballooning were set up, tethered and given flame-bursts to keep them upright and given a glow. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Balloon pilots Eliav Cohen, left, and Steve LeMay set up the first balloon for inflation. The free event was held at City Hall Park in Normandy Park on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Hot air balloon pilot Steve LeMay gets a high-velocity fan going to begin the inflation of one at City Hall Park in Normandy Park on Saturday. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Two ordinary play balloons are aloft to monitor the winds for the event at City Hall Park in Normandy Park on Saturday, even though the large hot air balloons were tethered. The winds were negligible. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Hot air balloon pilot Eliav Cohen makes sure all the lines are properly set before inflation of the tethered craft in Normandy Park on Saturday. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Eliav Cohen dashes inside a 77,000 cubic foot balloon to make sure everything is properly set up before propane-fueled flame burst bring the craft to a vertical in Normandy Park on Saturday. A high-velocity fan is used at this stage. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Steve LeMay activates a flame-burst to help raise the balloon to vertical. in Normandy Park on Saturday. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Steve LeMay is tiny compared with the balloons as he pulls the fabric to shape inflation by fan in Normandy Park on Saturday. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Hot air balloons light up the night at City Hall Park in Normandy Park on Saturday night, given bursts of propane-fueled flames to lift the tethered craft upright. The volumes of the balloons are 77,000 cubic feet, left, and 90,000 cubic feet. The seven-story balloons from Seattle Ballooning were set up, tethered and given bursts of propane-fueled flames to keep them upright and given a glow. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Propane-fueled bursts are checked before the two balloons are unpacked and set up in City Hall Park in Normandy Park on Saturday. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Both aglow, the 90,000 cubic foot balloon, left, and the 77,000 cubic foot balloon complete the one night event “Light The Park” on Dec. 12 in Normandy Park. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

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By

Alan Berner

Seattle Times staff photographer

Alan Berner