If you watched the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, earlier this month, you likely saw the spectacular Olympic cauldron carried aloft by a large hot air balloon. This cauldron was the first in Olympic history to fly, and the first to not use real fire. In fact, it’s faux flame was a combination of LED lights and water vapor. The Cauldron incorporated 40 LED spotlights to illuminate the fog created by 200 high-pressure misting nozzles.

The 90+ foot high cauldron had a 21 foot diameter ring of “fire.” Every day of the Games, 10,000 people viewed the Cauldron close up while it was on the ground. And every evening from sunset to 2am, the balloon launched to nearly 200 feet in the air, carrying the Cauldron.

The Cauldron and balloon were designed by French designer Mathieu Lahanneur. The Olympic Cauldron was installed in the Jardin des Tuileries, in beautiful alignment with the Louvre and its Pyramid, the La Concorde obelisk and the Champs-Elysées dominated by the Arc de Triomphe. More information on the Cauldron is available here. 

All images: Paris 2024 / Raphaël Lafargue

David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and President of Lighting Solution Development, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has co-chaired ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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