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JULY
24 2026
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One launch better than none: Great Wellsville Balloon Rally limited to Friday launch BY KATHRYN ROSS
WELLSVILLE — There may have been only one launch for this year’s Great Wellsville Balloon Rally, but it was a site to behold. All 29 of the registered hot air balloons launched from the Rally site the evening of July 17. Stars and Stripes, a red, white, and blue balloon piloted by Brett Endolf out of Pennsylvania, was the first to hit the sky. Sponsored by the Hahn Homestead, it carried artist Eric Jones, who had created a spectacular sand sculpture for the Rally. The sculpture included more than 10 balloons, representing each of its sponsors, the Pink House and the Immaculate Conception Church. Stars and Stripes headed east, leading a few other balloons. The remaining balloons caught a wind current that sent them flying north over the village. With the wind dying down, they landed all across the center of the village, blocking streets and bridges and delighting spectators who followed in their cars or hung out of their apartment windows to grab photos of the giant, colorful balloons. That was the one and only launch for the 49th event. Rain and wind
Photo by Kathryn Ross A red, white and blue balloon was first off the ground Friday evening at the Great Wellsville Balloon Rally.
kept the balloons on the ground for the rest of the weekend. However, organizers didn’t close down the event. The midway was open and balloonists sold tethered rides and participated in
the Afterglow. On Saturday night the Rally lit up the sky with a fireworks display. Brad Thompson, who has piloted the event as chairman of the Great Wellsville Balloon
Rally for 16 years, said at the end of the event, “Well, that wraps up another successful Great Wellsville Balloon Rally, number 49. Although we had one flight, Friday night, it was a beautiful flight and a lot of balloons stayed right here, local, in the village of Wellsville and landed on the village of Wellsville. The Main Street Festival weather ended up turning good and the Chamber of Commerce got a successful event up there. “We now look forward to number 50, which is a huge milestone for the Rally,” Thompson said. “There’s only a couple of the rallies that have existed as long as ours. We’ll be making announcements beginning in the late fall of some of the new events that will be added to the 50th year anniversary of our Balloon Rally. Keep
Photo by Kathryn Ross Balloons are becalmed over Wellsville’s Main Street Friday night.
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contest: One photo submission per person and it must be from the 2026 Rally, while the photo also must contain one or more balloons. No edited photos will be accepted — no AI-generated images, videos, drawings, paintings or other forms of digital art will be accepted. The deadline for submissions is July 24. The winner will be notified and the public announcement will be made July 31.
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a close eye on all our social media outlets for announcements. “Once again, we want to thank the community for all the support and without you the Rally would not be possible. It truly does take a village.” Meanwhile, photos of the Rally are sought for a photo contest. Submissions should be sent to bearitallphotos LLC at bearitallphotos@ gmail.com. Rules of the free
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Photo by Kathryn Ross Balloons are reflected in the Genesee River, which runs through the site.
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