Sixteen balloons and their pilots will take to Presque Isle’s skies during the annual Crown of Maine Balloon Fest this week.
Events will be based at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds for the four-day festival, slated from Thursday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 25.
Since it began 20 years ago, the festival has grown from a few balloons and spectators during a 2004 summer gathering to a multi-day exhibition featuring balloons, live music, food vendors, crafts and kids’ attractions. The event typically draws about 4,000 balloon crews and spectators from Aroostook County, the eastern U.S. and Canada.
“We average 14 to 16 balloons, and then we are capped out due to the amount of space on our field,” said Jordyn Madore, chairperson of the organizing committee. “Since we are limited with our spacing, we are instead working to expand in other aspects of the festival.”
Additions have included a craft and vendor exhibit, food trucks, live music, a street fair and family games.
Things will get underway Thursday with the TFG Takeover, an evening led by key sponsor Thompson Financial Group. In addition to crafts and food trucks, the evening will feature music by Skinny Elvis from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the concert stage and a night of tethered balloon flights, Madore said.
The festival is also partnering with Junior Achievement to host the 2024 Golf Classic, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Presque Isle Country Club.
A lot of people work on the event, from businesses and organizations to volunteers, Madore said. The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce spearheads the event.
“We are also working to develop community partnerships to add to the festival offerings, but also get the community involved and invested in the event,” Madore said. “It takes a village, after all, so the more hands, the better.”
Mass balloon ascensions are tentatively slated Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 6 a.m. Since hot-air balloons must have the right wind and weather conditions, pilots will decide when and whether to launch.
Balloons may launch from the fairgrounds or pilots may choose another site based on wind direction, according to the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest website. If balloons launch off site, locations aren’t announced for pilot and crew safety reasons and to respect landowner privacy.
Crafters will be at the commercial exhibition building and food trucks will be on site from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 12 to 8 p.m. Saturday.
The band No Pressure will take the stage from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, The County Folk will play from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Frank Manzio will deejay at a street fair from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The popular nighttime balloon glows are slated at dusk on Friday and Saturday at the fairgrounds.
Balloons will come from as far away as the United Kingdom, with the return of John Viner and his balloon Hyla the Frog. Hailing from Canada are Seth Bailey of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with Czech Mate, and newcomer Pier-Alexandre Marcoux of Quebec with the balloon Au-dela du reve.
Mainer Jim Rodrigue of Lewiston will travel north with his balloon Tail Winds, and some longtime festival participants will include Wendell Purvis of Tallahassee, Florida, with Tracer; Randy Lee of Four Oaks, North Carolina, with Spellbound Spirit; Mike Lavoie of West Ossipee, New Hampshire, with Schmedley; and Mark Fritze of Tallahassee with the pet-themed balloon DogOnIt.
Also on tap are: Michael Olin of Warner, New Hampshire, with Heaven Sent; Michael Depew of Nashua, New Hampshire, with Manifesto; Rick Jones of Concord, New Hampshire, with Polar Dawn; Bruce Byberg of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, with Big Max; Patrick Grogan of Cleveland, North Carolina, with Big Dreamz; Anthony Seeger of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, with Carolina Twist; Beth and Joe Hamilton of Hobe Sound, Florida, with Last One; and Luke Van Camp of Tallahassee with Holocron.
For full details, visit the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest website or Facebook page.
Correction: This story has been amended to reflect that the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce is the sole organization spearheading the festival.
