The Goodyear Blimp is turning 100! On June 3, 2025, the iconic airship will celebrate a century since the first flight of its branded blimp, Pilgrim. This special birthday will be marked with exciting events all year long. They include flyovers in 100 cities across North America and Europe and appearances at cultural events. Three lucky fans, selected by lottery, will also get the rare chance to fly aboard one of the four blimps currently in use.
The 100th birthday celebration began at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, CA, on New Year's Day. Since then, the blimps have flown over Florida's east coast and appeared at the Daytona 500 rally in Daytona Beach. Upcoming events include the Academy Awards, Coachella Music Festival, and more.
The Goodyear Blimp is an airship. Unlike airplanes, which rely on propulsion to stay in the skies, airships function by being "lighter than air." They are filled with gases like helium or hydrogen, which are less dense than Earth's atmosphere. This allows them to float in the air. However, because hydrogen is highly flammable, modern airships primarily use helium.
The first airship was built in 1852 by French engineer Henri Giffard. Over the years, they have served various purposes. During World War I, a specialized airship called a zeppelin was used for military operations. Soon after, Goodyear Tires began producing airships for the US Navy. These were used to track enemy submarines during the war. In the early 20th century, many explorers used airships for global travel. Some even reached the North Pole!
Today, Goodyear’s fleet of four blimps is mainly used for advertising and capturing aerial views of events for television. Since 1967, when a Goodyear airship covered the first Super Bowl, the blimps have filmed over 2,500 events. These include the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.
“The Goodyear Blimp is a symbol of nostalgia and innovation,” said Mark Stewart, CEO and President of Goodyear. “For 100 years, it has inspired wonder and brought our brand closer to communities across the globe.”
Resources: Goodyear.com, Smithsonianmag.com, Prnewswire.com
