Champaign Balloon Clubs
What about clubs?
Due to the high cost of hot air balloons, many hobbyists split the costs by joining ballooning clubs. In Champaign County, multiple ballooning clubs sprung up in the 1970s and 1980s, allowing hobbyists to split the cost of ballooning, connect people for flight crews, and build community. Some prominent clubs in Champaign have been C-U Ballooning Club, Illini Balloon Club, and the Balloon Association of Greater Illinois.
Since 1990, the Balloon Association of Greater Illinois (BAGI) has been the largest balloon club in the region. Their newsletter, The Windbag, published articles by and for balloonists to publicize events, share tips, and discuss hot air ballooning. The Archives houses BAGI’s The Windbag and the Champaign County Balloon National Championship Organization’s Championship Chatter. Both are available for the public to view upon request.
