LEWISTON, Maine –- The Great Falls Balloon Festival is back.
The first launch happened Friday morning, with another one on tap for Friday night.
After being grounded for the last two summers, the Great Falls Balloon Festival is back and clear for takeoff.
“We’ve missed it the last couple years, and I think the community’s really missed it,” A&A Balloons Crew Chief Jacob Godfrey said.
About 100,000 people are expected at Simard Payne Park in Lewiston and Festival Plaza in Auburn this weekend.
“The whole community’s going to be coming out for this, it’s exciting, we’re going to have a ton of people out here this weekend,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said.
It’s a fun weekend for the entire crew.
“I’m just a little scared of heights,” hot air balloon passenger Lars Gunther said. “Well first, I was like hiding in the bottom of the basket and then I peaked out and looked at the view and then I plugged my ears with the fire thing was heating up, I was a little scared and I got over it.”
People of all ages look forward to a weekend full of concerts, food and balloons.
The festival is one of the largest events in the area and a key fundraiser for a number of nonprofit and community groups.
“We could see the horizon all the way around,” Woolwich resident Phillip Baker said.
The conditions have to be just perfect for the launches scheduled all weekend.