Wind grounds balloons, but spirits stay high as balloon festival kicks off in Lewiston
LEWISTON — The 32nd Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival opened Friday with hundreds of early risers gathering at Simard-Payne Memorial Park, but the morning's excitement was tempered when high winds forced organizers to cancel all balloon flights.
Shawna Haley-Bear and her son, Caleb Bear, of Poland, were among those who had won tickets to the 6 a.m. launch through a contest sponsored by Dirigo Credit Union, the festival's special shape balloon sponsor. The contest invited entrants to describe what shape balloon they would create. Haley-Bear's entry: a "Hopeful" sign.
"There's so much that's good in Lewiston-Auburn that we don't think about, so I feel like that sign makes me think about the good stuff. The stuff that unites us and makes us a community," Haley-Bear said Friday morning.
Despite the grounded flights, balloon pilots inflated their vessels so spectators could witness the colorful preparations, drawing a crowd of several hundred to the park.
Bruce Byberg, the festival's balloonmeister, made the final call on whether balloons could fly shortly before 6 a.m. Wind speeds measured at 20 miles per hour far exceeded the 5 to 8 miles per hour considered ideal for safe balloon flights.
"When the sun comes up and heats the earth, the lower winds mix with the higher winds, so that 20 miles per hour will come closer to the surface. We don't want to land at 10-20 miles per hour," Byberg explained.
To assess conditions, organizers release a small test balloon 500 feet into the air equipped with technology that measures wind speed at various elevations.
The festival features two special shape balloons this year: a lighthouse and a square-shaped U.S. flag. Barry DiLibero, pilot of the America One balloon and owner of the Flighthouse balloon, traveled from Pennsylvania to participate.
Festivalgoers traveled from across the country to attend. Beth and Joe Hamilton made the journey from Florida with their balloon, "Last One." The couple, married 55 years, began piloting after Joe gifted Beth a balloon ride for her birthday. Beth earned her pilot's license in California, while Joe trained in Albuquerque, both regions known for more predictable flying conditions than Maine.
Despite their decades of experience, the couple has attended the Lewiston-Auburn festival since its inception.
When asked if they get frustrated when weather grounds their balloon, Beth was direct.
"Hell yeah," she said. "But that's the life of the balloonist. The weather. You learn early, you have to be patient."
Gray National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Cornwell predicted Friday morning that Friday night's conditions would resemble the morning's winds. The forecast for the remainder of the weekend includes potential rain showers.
Organizers remained hopeful that conditions would improve for evening and weekend flights. The festival continues through Sunday.
For more information and a full schedule, visit laballoonfest.org/festival/schedule.
