In Pictures: Up in the air with hot air balloons

A new world record was set in France when 433 hot air balloons soared into the sky over the July 25 and 26 weekend. More than 300,000 visitors are expected to attend one of the biggest international hot air balloon festivals, which runs from July 24 to Aug 2, 2015. Elsewhere, hot air balloon festivals are also dazzling crowds in New Jersey and Belarus.

Updated

Published

Jul 28, 2015, 09:50 AM

Hot air balloons fly during the international Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons festival, in Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, on July 26, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

Hot air balloons waiting to take off during the international Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons festival, in Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, on July 26, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

Boys playing on a gate as hot air balloons fly over the Chambley-Bussieres air base during the international Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons festival, in Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, on July 26, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

Hot air balloons waiting to take off during the international Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons festival, in Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, on July 26, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

Normand Trepanier from Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, piloting the Hot air balloon Piko on Day 1 of the 2015 New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, New Jersey, on July 24, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

Hot air balloons shaped as Star Wars characters Darth Vader (left) and Yoda (right) are inflated at sunrise on Day 1 of the 2015 New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, New Jersey, on July 24, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

A hot air balloon coming to rest amid trees, as seen from a flying balloon just after sunrise on Day 1 of the 2015 New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, New Jersey, on July 24, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

Hot air balloons in many shapes seen from a flying balloon just after sunrise on Day 1 of the 2015 New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, New Jersey, on July 24, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

Aeronauts inflating hot air balloon before the start of flight during the Second International Aeronautics Championship 70 Years Of Peaceful Sky on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, on July 18, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

A shadow of a hot air balloon seen over a road, as a man takes pictures of flying hot air balloons, during the Second International Aeronautics Championship 70 Years Of Peaceful Sky on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, on July 18, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

A hot air balloon seen at the Cup Hot Air event during the Air Sports festival titled 70 Years Of Peaceful Sky in Minsk, Belarus, on July 18, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

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