The Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic is returning to Ann Morrison Park, with hot air balloons set to fill the sky above downtown Boise starting Wednesday. WATCH: What you can expect from this year's Spirit of Boise Balloon Classi c Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic set to fill the sky againNoemi Gonzales has been bringing her kids to the event year after year."It's like a tradition now, so I love it." Gonzales said.Tethered kids' rides kick off early Wednesday morning, with balloons taking flight each morning around 7:20 starting Thursday weather permitting.Among the pilots taking to the sky is Cooper Dill, who has been flying balloons since he was 17, learning the ropes in his hometown of Seattle."Spirit of Boise was always a dream of mine," Dill said.Last year, that dream took flight when Dill piloted the classic for the first time as a senior at Boise State University a school he chose because of this annual event."I am younger in the ballooning world, and so I've always been super grateful for the mentors and the people older than me that have helped get me into ballooning and show me new areas like this," Dill said.This week, Dill will fly his balloon called "Kaleidoscope.""If you look up inside the balloon, the top of the balloon looks like a giant kaleidoscope; it's a pretty special balloon," Dill said.RELATED | Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic returns to Ann Morrison Park this weekGetting Kaleidoscope into the air, and where it needs to go, takes more than hot air."We describe ballooning as sailing the sky," Dill said. "We're using the winds to get where we want to go, so we have to have knowledge of the sky."Dill flies year-round, but said there is something different about flying in Boise."I think the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic is different because of the atmosphere," Dill said. "The whole city comes out for it."That includes Gonzales, who said her kids' growing awareness of the event makes it even more special."They're getting older, they're becoming more aware, so they're enjoying it a lot more, and that for me is just awesome," Gonzales said.READ MORE | Ann Morrison Park lights up during annual 'Nite Glow Spectacular'According to the Ada County Highway District, Ann Morrison Park will be closed to through traffic from 5 a.m. to about 10 a.m. each day. On Friday, the closure extends from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the Nite Glow.ACHD urges drivers to watch for pedestrians and cyclists around the park, particularly along Americana Boulevard, Capitol Boulevard and Crescent Rim Drive.This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less