Gliding festival in northwest province

Hot air balloons rise during the Aviation Gliding Festival 2011 in Jiayuguan, Northwest China’s Gansu province, July 23, 2011. More than 100 Chinese aviation sports enthusiasts and 70 different kinds of aircrafts will participate in four events in Jiayuguan. The city is known for its favorable environmental conditions for hosting aviation sports, with updraft speeds at 3 to 5 meters per second and six months of the year ideal for flight. In 1992 and 1993, it hosted a similar festival and has become a major tourist attraction. [Photo/Xinhua]