In pics | Over 200 hot air balloons fill Mexican skies during international festival

More than 200 colourful hot air balloons filled clear blue skies in central Mexico over the weekend as the country hosted the 21st International Hot Air Balloon Festival.

The four-day 21st International Hot Air Balloon Festival was hosted in the Mexican city of Leon, Guanajuato, which saw the participation of more than 200 hot air balloons and people from 23 different countries. 

Images from the festival show balloons of various colours and sizes but also some unique shapes like animals or unicorns. Others included popular animated movie characters like 'Cogsworth' the clock from Disney's Beauty and the Beast (as seen this image) and tv shows like SpongeBob. 

(Photo credit: X/@FIGLeon)

"Today (Nov 20) was perfect – it was mild so we could fly, we had very good wind and we felt quite confident," hot air balloon pilot, Valdemir Taveira from Brazil told Reuters. The four-day international festival took place from November 17 to 20. 

Image shows hot air balloon lighting up during the "Magic Night" on the second day of the festival. 

Hot air balloon festivals are not unique to Mexico as there are several such international festivals taking place across the world. 

Just last month, the United States city of Albuquerque hosted its 51st International Balloon Fiesta. 

But Leon also celebrated the country's first foray into hot air ballooning, as per Reuters. The first hot-air ballooning took off from Guanajuato state and ended in Rio Verde in 1842. 

“(I have been at other hot air balloon festivals) In Albuquerque (New Mexico, USA) and other parts of the world, but the festival here is very Mexican to us," hot air balloon international festival's community manager, Javier Ramirez told Reuters. 

"For this reason, people who come from abroad love it. Then, I think this is what makes the balloon international festival in Mexico distinctive."