To the editor:
The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest was a huge success this year, due in part to the fabulous weather the area enjoyed over the past few days. The success of the Balloon Fest was evident by the number of people enjoying the hospitality of the area, the beauty of the balloons and the joy of floating around in a hot air balloon.
The economic impact of the Crown of Maine Balloon fest has not been fully calculated, however this year we had tourists from Cape Cod and Boston, whom I met, here for the entire weekend, staying in local establishments, eating their meals and buying gas. The tourists, in addition to the pilots who traveled from as far away as Texas, all contributed to the local economy.
The real success and the thing that will keep the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest alive was the participation of so many. The Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce wants to thank all of the players in the success of this year’s Crown of Maine Balloon Fest; especially a sincere thanks to the Smith family — Milt, Linda, Derik and Ellyn. The people who devoted hours to crewing for the balloon pilots, organizers of all of the events throughout the weekend, the financial supporters, the companies that donated everything from balloons to rooms are all essential to the success of this year’s event and of the success of the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest in years ahead.
I look forward to hearing stories from people who attended this year’s festival and hearing what they enjoyed the most.
executive director PIACC