06/01/2026
🎈 Meet Pilot Derek Hancock & Evergreen 🎈
For Derek Hancock, ballooning started as a simple curiosity… and turned into a lifelong adventure that’s taken him around the world. After crewing for a friend in the mid-90s, one flight was all it took — he was hooked. Instead of moving to Phoenix for a corporate job, Derek made a bold choice that changed everything: he took the layoff package, bought a balloon, and never looked back. ✨
What followed has been an incredible career in the skies — flying since 1996, logging over 3,500 flight hours, and piloting balloons in more than 16 countries around the world. 🌍🎈
And now, Derek and Evergreen return to Tigard once again as part of the festival family! 🎉
🎈 Balloon: Evergreen
🔥 180,000 cubic feet
🔥 70 gallons of propane
🔥 2 burners
🎈 3,541 LTA flight hours
🎉 5th year at TFOB
❤️ Wife: Maureen
🌅 Want to take your festival experience to the next level? Evergreen is also offering paid passenger rides all weekend through Rose Balloons — giving guests the chance to float above Tigard and experience the magic firsthand. 🎈✨
As we continue Growing Our Legacy, Derek’s story is a reminder that sometimes the biggest life changes come from the smallest moments — like that first flight.
Come see Derek Hancock and Evergreen soar June 26–28 at the Tigard Festival of Balloons! 🎈✨