Photos: Up, Up & Away! Winthrop's annual Hot Air Balloon Festival kicks off | Seattle Refined

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<p>Winthrop, Washington{ }is famous for it’s cozy western themed town, miles of cross-country skiing and a pretty unique, winter hot air balloon festival. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)</p>

Winthrop’s Hot Air Balloon Roundup is a free annual event that runs from March 5-7, with balloons in flight from 7am-9am. Launch day viewing is limited to 200 spectators. Social distancing and masks are required. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

A dozen hot air balloons from all around the Northwest will inflate on the grounds of the Winthrop Inn, just a mile down the road from the old western themed town. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

The crew works fast to prepare the balloon for flight, prepping the basket and connecting the balloon. In a matter of minutes, the baskets will be lifted up to eye-level with the snow-covered peaks of the North Cascades. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Visitors to Winthrop’s annual Hot Air Balloon Roundup can get up close with the giant inflating balloons to see what makes them fly. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Hot air balloons consist of three main parts: the burner, the basket and the envelope (the balloon). (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

A small fan is used to slowly inflate the balloon, while a large propane burner heats up the cool air flowing inside. Warm air begins to inflate the colorful nylon material allowing it to fill up and fly. Simply put, hot air rises. And when the air cools, the balloon drifts back to the ground. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

The balloons look massive from the ground — and that’s because they are. Balloons can range in size from 50-feet wide up to 80-feet tall. And that’s measured by how much air the balloon can hold. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Modern hot air balloons are made from bright, colorful nylon material. Usually cut into 20-24 sections, the nylon is sewn together and is strong enough to withstand the burner’s heat and tension from winds during flight. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Like other forms of flight, the weather plays an important role in hot air balloon operation and flight success. In fact, they’re even more temperamental and only fly during calm, clear, low-wind days. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Fun fact: Hot air balloon pilots will blow up a small helium balloon and release it just before flight. This helps to see which direction the wind is blowing, and also helps the balloon chase vehicles to meet the balloon and crew wherever it lands. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Hot air balloons can fly up to 2,000 feet — with nothing between the pilot and the ground but the woven basket. It’s also fairly common for the basket to "bounce" a few times on the ground before taking an upward ascent. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

The North Cascades provide a picture-perfect backdrop for colorful hot air balloons to stand out against the snowy, mountain landscapes. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

The 3-day festival is considered a “photographer’s dream,” and provides ample opportunities for spotting balloons from almost any spot in the tiny western town of Winthrop. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

If you plan to visit, please follow COVID-19 safety. Arrive early and park at the Methow Valley Thriftway, and be respectful of private property while viewing the balloons. (Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

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