QUEENSBURY — Mother Nature did her best to spoil the return of the Adirondack Balloon Festival on Friday, but for the thousands who descended on Warren County airport, not even a series of high winds could ruin the moment.
The balloon festival returned this year for its 48th installment following last year’s pandemic-induced hiatus. Though balloons were grounded due to winds, which at one point reached up to 15 mph, those in attendance were just happy to see the event’s return.
“This is one of our favorite events,” said balloon pilot Dave Sheldon. “The energy here that this community has around this event just makes it very special.”
Sheldon, owner of The Balloon Detail Inc. of Norwich, in Chenango County, has been piloting balloons at the festival since 1983. He used to participate in festivals across the country every two or three weeks from May to November, but has ratcheted back in recent years.
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But the Adirondack Balloon Festival, Sheldon said, remains at the top of his list.
“We are very excited to be here,” he said.
This year’s installment looked a bit different compared to years past due to the pandemic.
Gone were the vendors and food trucks that would normally line the festival grounds and invite long lines. The number of balloons scheduled to launch was cut by more than half, from 100 to around 40.
The measures were taken in the name of public safety, which was a top priority for organizers, who began planning this year’s event shortly after canceling last year’s installment, said Mark Donahue, president of the Balloon Festival’s board of directors.
All pilots were required to be vaccinated in order to participate, and signs encouraging mask-wearing were scattered around the airfield.
But attendees didn’t seem to be bothered by the changes, as many nestled into lawn chairs and played with their children as they waited for the balloons to launch. A few in attendance took advantage of the windy conditions by flying kites.
Staring out into the sea of people, Donahue became emotional, at one point stepping away as he fought back tears.
Last year’s cancellation was a blow, and it was unclear if people would return in light of the changes made to the festival, Donahue said.
“This event is put on by the community for the community, and it’s part of who this region is,” he said. “We weren’t sure if people were going to come, but this is an amazing crowd for a Friday. They came. And they’re coming.”
Organizers officially canceled the launch at 5:30 p.m. following a lengthy weather delay. A total of 35 balloons were expected to take to the sky, according to Donahue.
But pilots made the best of the situation by pulling out their baskets and allowing people to pose for pictures. A few even inflated balloons to entertain the crowd, who rushed to take photos.
Conditions are expected to improve for Saturday’s morning launch honoring essential workers throughout the region.
Light winds and temperatures around 50 degrees are forecast for the 6:30 a.m. launch.
That’s good news for Aditya and Raman Kaul, who traveled from New Jersey after learning about the festival from a friend. They plan to stay the weekend.
“A friend said there’s a balloon festival up north and we said, ‘Why not?’ We traveled up to take a look,” Aditya said.
Aditya added that watching balloons launch is an ideal outdoor activity that presents minimal risk amid the surging pandemic, which has forced the couple to hunker down over the past year and a half.
They also make for great photos, Raman said.
Jonathan Buie and James Williams traveled from Philadelphia to partake in this year’s installment of Americade, the touring motorcycle rally in Lake George normally held in June but pushed back in light of the pandemic.
The pair said they made their way to the festival to support an acquaintance who was set to launch a balloon.
They plan to return Saturday morning and were unfazed by the grounded balloons, which Buie said he anticipated when he arrived to find high winds.
“We learned to appreciate the moment,” he said. “Whether its rain, shine, sleet or snow, we’re blessed to see it.”