This was Lee and Karen's Duquette's third encounter with hot air balloons. All three are listed below. They recommend that you view each one in order. The first one has a lot of information, plus questions and answers about hot air balloons in general.

In 1991, Lee Duquette surprised Karen Duquette with a ride in a hot air Balloon. It was absolutely amazing as they soared high in the air over the Everglades in Florida. Karen has posted a lot of Hot air Balloon Information, plus many questions and answers about Hot Air Balloons, so this is definitely a site worth checking before continuing down on this page. A link there can bring you back here.

Years later, in 2012, Lee and Karen Duquette went to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico (a multi-day and evening event that was super amazing). They paid for a hot air balloon ride on this date too, but it got cancelled the night before the event due to expected bad weather. Then The next day, weather was great and Karen was not happy because she did not get her hot air balloon ride. BUT, it was such an amazing time and something everyone should try to attend. It is a yearly event. (A link to this event can bring you back here.)

And then in 2025, Lee and Karen Duquette attended The Balloon Glow and Laser Show in North Carolina. Each of these three events are totally different from each other and cannot be compared to each other. Actually, nothing can beat the Albuquerque, New Mexico event. The information and photos from the 2025 event are shown below on this page, so scroll down and enjoy.

On this date in 2025, Military ID entry cost for Lee and Karen Duquette was only $15 each because they are both Military Veterans. They are not sure what the regular cost was. They were allowed to bring blankets, lawn chairs and umbrellas to this event. Lee Duquette chose a seat right in-between two hot air balloons. Nobody else sat near them.

There were also food venders and craft and retail booths at this event. Lee Duquette bought a plastic mesh hot air balloon at a cost of $20. (It is shown much later on, down on this page, and again on the following page).

Note: Balloon TETHERED ride tickets were NOT included in the gate admission ticket and could not be purchased online (UNLESS YOU HAVE A FAST PASS, which cost extra). But they could be purchased on the balloon field for $35 per person cash, including children over the age of 2 years old. Small children under 2 years of age were not allowed in the balloon basket for safety reasons. Balloon tethered rides are best with wind speeds under 8 miles per hour with no strong gusts. The tethered balloons did not go up very high. Obviously, Lee and Karen Duquette did NOT buy tethered ride tickets because that looked boring to them and can not be compared to their 2012 event in New Mexico.

So now, it is time to scroll down and enjoy the 2025 Hot Air Balloons and especially the Laser Light Show in Salisbury, North Carolina.

(The abdominal snowman below is sure having a great time.)

Below: Back at their seats, in-between two hot air balloons, Lee and Karen Duquette watched the hot air balloons as they were being inflated. The three already inflated balloons shown, were in a fenced area for the people who purchased tickets to ride a very brief height up in the tethered balloons. Behind those tethered balloons was the area were people paid a really high price to sit. But Karen Duquette felt that they got the best seats here, right in-between two hot air balloons. Seeing the Giant Clown Balloon stretched out in the grass was awesome.

Below: Watching the ReMax Hot Air Balloon fill its inside with air that allowed it to inflate.

Below: With every breath of air, the ReMax Balloon grew bigger and bolder.

Below: Fire is the key ingredient that will help the hot air balloon stand up straight.

Below: Lee Duquette also enjoyed relaxing really close to the Remax Hot Air Balloon. And he felt the heat whenever they lit up the balloon.

Below Then it was time for the really big Hot Air Clown Balloon to face up to the challenge and take charge.

Below: OH NO! The balloon tried to BITE Karen Duquette.

Below: HOT HOT HOT - Even the Balloon handler had trouble tolerating the heat.

Below: Once the big clown hot air balloon was finally up and ready, it remained tethered, as did all of the balloons.

Below: The bIg clown hot air balloon was finally up, and right next to the Remax balloon.

Below: A view of the three hot air balloons that some people paid for a short, tethered ride in. Some people even paid extra to sit in a roped-off VIP section behind these three balloons.

Below: The giant clown balloon snuck-up behind Karen Duquette

Below: Then the giant clown hot air balloon tried to bite Karen Duquette's head off. HA-HA-HA!!!!

Below: "Got You" thought the Balloon clown as it smiled and blew around in the wind.

Below: Lee Duquette hung the mesh hot-air balloon that he purchased at this event, off of the umbrella he brought in case of rain (but was not needed). Dusk was starting to set in and soon it became e time for the Laser-Light show.

After dusk and a count-down, the fantastic Hot Air Balloon and Laser Light show began. The hot air balloons took turns lighting burns. (This was when Lee and Karen really enjoyed sitting right in-between the two hot air balloons. Children, and even many adults, had fun running around in the field under the light show. Karen Duquette went on the field to get better photographs.

So continue on to the night time Laser-LIght show at this event in Salisbury, North Carolina