PRESQUE ISLE — Organizers are touting this year’s Crown of Maine Balloon Fest a spectacular success with thousands of people taking part. The event, hosted by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and the Mapleton Lions Club, was held Aug. 23-26.
MASS ASCENSIONS, top photo, were held in the mornings and evenings during the Crown of Maine Balloon Festival. It was a sight enjoyed by thousands at the fairgrounds and even more residents and visitors who pulled over to the side of the road or found some other site to enjoy the show. At below, musicians, from left, Melbourne Smith, Frank Grant and Ira Dyer (the Grinn Brothers) were a big hit at the Street Fair.
“The weather was fantastic, and we expanded some of the activities we were offering. Both had a great impact on the numbers of people we had out and about taking part in things over the four days of the festival,” said Floyd Rockholt, chair of the COMBF committee
Although the balloons were not able to launch as expected on Thursday evening due to high winds, there was still a lot happening to kick off the festival that night. Nearly 1,000 people took part in the Street Fair held in downtown Presque Isle. The large block party event, organized by the local Elks Lodge, included activities for all ages.
Crowds gathered at the fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday to watch the balloons launch, shop at the booths of artisans and crafters from across the state, listen to live music, and enjoy a variety of food.
The festival featured 10 balloons, with a mixture of local pilots and those who traveled long distances to take part in the central Aroostook festival. The balloons and their pilots were: Queen of Hearts with Derik Smith of Presque Isle; Aer Loon with Bud Hebrlee of Frenchville; Raspberry Ripple with Derald Young of Dixfield; Big Max with Chris Mooney of Woodbury, Conn.; Freedom Flyer with Mark Fritze, Magic Carpet with Bob Bush, and Tracer with Wendell Purves, all of Tallahassee, Fla; Windspirit with Joel Jones of Seale, Ala.; Sinbad with Doug Shippee and Jim Rogers of Saint John, N.B.; and Wicked with David Lopushinsky of Gatineau, Que.
Observant residents also saw Bill Belk of Caribou flying Skittles, along with Milt Smith of Presque Isle, Sam Canders, formerly of Washburn, and Noah Forden of Exeter, R.I. flying “cloud hoppers,” which are very small balloons which carry only one person. These were flown independently of the festival and launched from outside of the fairgrounds.
New to the balloon festival this year was the offering of tethered balloon rides at the fairgrounds, as well as the chance to walk and play inside of a decommissioned balloon. The idea was even more successful than organizers anticipated, with 400 rides given on Friday and Saturday evening. Hundreds also took advantage of the chance to see what the inside of a balloon looks like by paying a dollar to go inside the balloon Rainbow Walker, which was laying on its side inflated with air.
THE STREET FAIR on Aug. 23 in downtown Presque Isle drew approximately 1,000 people for live music, a dunking booth, a pie eating contest, children’s activities, county fair treats and more. New this year was the addition of The Aroostook Medical Center’s Spuddy Challenge. Children and adults alike competed in this race that included pushing a sack of potatoes in a wheel chair, transporting a potato on a walker, and pushing a potato with a crutch.
“Although the opportunity to go for a balloon ride is unparalleled, we recognize that this is just not an option for everyone. We felt that tethered rides were an ideal solution,” explained Rockholt. “For just a small fee, people could get a little taste of what it’s like to go up in a balloon while still being safely tied to the ground.”
Another great hit for families on Saturday was the annual Youth Day event sponsored by the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club, Presque Isle Rotary Club and Cary Medical Center in the Forum. More than 350 children and their families took part in this free event, and, as part of the Kiwanis Club’s commitment to promoting youth bicycle safety, the Club gave out 210 bike helmets.
In addition to the balloon launches and balloon glow activities, evening entertainment on both Friday and Saturday centered around music. An Open Mic Night on Friday gave local musicians a chance to perform, showcasing their talent. Acts included soloists, duos and bands, ranging from folk music to alternative rock, but the performance that really brought down the house was 11-year old saxophone player.
“Jonathan (Guimond) really blew people away. He drew 30 to 40 people in off the midway once he started to play. He was amazing,” said Chris Morton, owner of KMH Music, sponsor of the event. “Talent like this is just one of the reasons we wanted to sponsor this activity. Now that the store is locally owned, we really want to get involved in local events.”
Enthusiastic crowds filled the Commercial Building Saturday night to hear free, live performances by Mellow Endeavor, a local group, and Chamberlin, a Vermont band poised to break on the national stage.
“Chamberlin loved the area and the band members were lighting up social media with how beautiful the area was and how much they loved it here,” said Derik Smith, owner of Taco Bell, who sponsored the show.”
Smith, who was one of the organizers of the festival, added, “Every pilot I talked to, and many other participants, were saying how this year was the best yet, and they can’t wait for next year. Beyond the beautiful landscapes and fantastic flying, they just keep raving about the people. We really have a great little festival here, and I hope we can keep it growing and keep the balloons flying, for years to come.
