Let’s be honest, it’s not every day that a 75-metre-long blimp hovers over your head. However, that’s exactly what happened recently in Kingston and Napanee, Ontario. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp, the legendary floating airship flew over the province in style, carrying with it a heavy dose of nostalgia. And let’s not forget: behind this visit lies a story deeply connected to the very tires we still see rolling across Canadian roads today.
A Blimp Over Napanee
On June 17, residents of Kingston looked up to find a massive blue and yellow airship cutting across the sky. Having departed from Akron, Ohio, the birthplace of the company, the Goodyear Blimp made its way north with a special mission: to offer a breathtaking view to employees from Goodyear’s Napanee plant. A total of ten flights were organized over the city and Lake Ontario, giving the team a cinematic thank-you for their hard work. We can only imagine the view!
A Century of Flying Publicity
The blimp is more than just a giant helium balloon (though it does hold the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools). It’s also a true advertising icon, a flying ambassador that’s represented the Goodyear brand since 1925. Whether it’s filming major sporting events, supporting community initiatives, or simply capturing people’s imaginations, the blimp has remained a symbol of what the company stands for: durability, accessibility, and a touch of showmanship. And, let’s face it, seeing a blimp floating over your hometown beats a billboard on the side of the highway any day!
This Ontario visit wasn’t just a centennial stunt, though. It was in fact a meaningful way to reconnect the brand with its Canadian roots. The Napanee factory produces tires for all of North America, and the event served to spotlight not just the plant’s importance, but also the people behind the scenes. That’s the magic of the Goodyear blimp: it can bridge the gap between sky and pavement, between fantasy and the road beneath our feet. So next time you spot a Goodyear tire on a vehicle, just remember: somewhere up above, there might be a smiling blimp floating by!
Image: Levdr1LP / Wikimedia
