Winds limit flights, officials still pleased
Staff photos/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE 10TH ANNUAL Crown of Maine Balloon Fest was held Aug. 22-25 in Presque Isle. Hosted by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and the Mapleton Lions Club, 12 hot air balloons flew during the festival. Here, balloons inflate and launch from the Northern Maine Fairgrounds Saturday morning.
PILOT JOEL JONES, of Seale, Ala., landed his hot air balloon Wind Spirit at the SAD 1 Educational Farm Saturday morning.
WITH A BIRD’S EYE VIEW of the Star City, Aerloon, flown by Bud Hebrlee of Albuquerque, N.M., drifted over Presque Isle Saturday morning during the 10th annual Crown of Maine Balloon Fest. Though winds kept the balloons from launching Thursday and Friday nights, as well as Friday morning, the other three scheduled launches went off without a hitch.
FREEDOM FLYER, piloted by Mark Fritze of Tallahassee, Fla., flew over this Presque Isle broccoli field Saturday morning much to the surprise of the workers. The 11th annual Crown of Maine Balloon Fest is scheduled for Aug. 21-24, 2014.
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — While this year’s 10th annual Crown of Maine Balloon Fest has officially concluded, some hot air balloon pilots are still in the area filling up the skies with their colorful creations.
Balloon Fest, hosted by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and the Mapleton Lions Club, was held Aug. 22-25, and according to chair Floyd Rockholt, was a success.
“It went well,” he said, “except the winds kept the pilots from flying Thursday and Friday nights, as well as Friday morning. Saturday and Sunday, however, were great days for flying. You have to have slow enough winds otherwise you can’t inflate the balloons, and the winds at the beginning of the festival were just too strong.
“Everything else went well,” said Rockholt. “The rain held off Thursday night for the street fair, and we had a lot of people on the field Saturday night. The wind died down a little Friday night and two pilots set up their balloons and did the glow, and Saturday night we had a full glow with all of the balloons participating.”
For a balloon glow, the pilots set up their balloons at dusk and use the burners to illuminate the envelope so it glows.
Tethered rides were originally scheduled for both Friday and Saturday evenings, but only Saturday’s event was held due to the wind.
“Tickets were limited to 150,” said Rockholt, “and we sold out in less than an hour. Those rides are very popular.”
A total of 12 hot air balloons, as well as a few “cloud hoppers” were on hand for the festival. Cloud hoppers are about one-quarter of the size of the regular balloons and are usually only meant for one person.
“We could have done without the wind, but all in all, I’m really happy,” Rockholt said. “The pilots enjoyed flying here and the spectators had fun, too. People love seeing them go up into the air; they’re so peaceful … they just float. It’s a beautiful sight, and people really like that.”
The 11th annual Crown of Maine Balloon Fest is scheduled for Aug. 21-24, 2014.
