Adk. Balloon Fest to dominate weekend

QUEENSBURY | Featuring an array of hot-air balloons shaped as animal characters, the nationally renowned Adirondack Balloon Festival returns this weekend to Queensbury and Glens Falls for its 52nd year. Sure to entrance youngsters and amuse adults, an airborne pair of puppies known as Buster and Bella — dual balloons from Bristol, England — are making their first trip to the U.S. for their participation in the four-day festival. They are joined by balloons shaped to resemble such fanciful characters as teddy bears, a butterfly, a penguin, a peacock, and a panther. Regarded as the largest hot-air ballooning event in the eastern U.S., this year's Adirondack Balloon Festival is to feature 80 or more inflated aircraft ascending into the skies. The Adirondack Balloon Festival is reputed to be the only large-scale ballooning event in the U.S. where spectators are allowed to get close to the balloons as they are being inflated — and help pilots and their crews help launch their craft. There is no admission fee to the Adirondack Balloon Festival, which has charmed generations of people from across the nation and attracted balloon enthusiasts from around the world. In past years, the festival has attracted crowds estimated at 130,000 or more. FEST LAUNCHES IN GLENS FALLS The festival kicks off at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18 in Glens Falls' Crandall Park with music performed by The Beatles' tribute band "Across the Pond." Opening ceremonies follow at 5 p.m., accompanied by food vendors and children's activities and a liftoff of about 15 balloons thereafter. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, "Cryin' Out Loud" band will provide live music. An initial "Moonglow" event, with internally-lit balloons lighting up the skies after dusk, is to begin at 7:45 p.m. FESTIVAL'S DAY TWO On Friday, Sept. 19, beginning at 3 p.m., the festival moves to Warren County's Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury, where it will be held through Sunday, accompanied by the annual Zonta Craft Fair with 50-plus vendors, children's activities, and food concessions. Live music is to be performed between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., and about 70 balloons are scheduled to take flight between 5 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. DAY 3 & 4: FLIGHTS AT DAWN On Saturday, Sept. 21, the festival resumes at 5 a.m. with the craft fair and children's activities. As many as 80 balloons are to take flight primarily between 6:30 am and 7:30 a.m. Performing live music between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. as well as from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. will be "The Newells" with their rock classics as well as original tunes. From 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Saturday, the fest ramps up with the ascent of about fifty balloons. At 7:45 p.m., the festival's main Moonglow event is to take place, with 30 to 40 balloons lighting up the dark sky, likely synchronized to music. The fest resumes Sunday, Sept. 22 at 5 a.m. with up to 80 balloons taking flight if weather permits. This mass ascent is scheduled to occur at 6:30 a.m. in honor of Walter and Joan Grishkot, the festival's founders. The festival concludes at 10 a.m. All activities are weather-dependent, as balloons do not take flight in windy or rainy weather. Dogs and smoking are not allowed on the festival sites, and neither are drones nor remote-controlled aircraft. Those attending the dawn flights on Saturday and Sunday are advised to allow ample time to arrive, as traffic has traditionally been heavy approaching the airport for these events.

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Adk. Balloon Fest to dominate weekend

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