LEWISTON — Brian Robbins sat on a bench near the mouth of a half-inflated balloon, waiting while his granddaughter, 3-year-old Ahri, jumped around inside with a whole bunch of others kids. 

In his hands, Robbins held a miniature balloon, bought from a vendor, that he swore was his granddaughter’s and not his own. 

It was an easy mistake to make. Robbins, of Lewiston, is a man who loves the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. He has so for many years. 

“We’ve been coming here as long as I can remember,” he said, about an hour before what was to be the evening launch. “I love all the sights and supporting some of the charities they have set up. It’s always a good time, especially if the weather cooperates.” 

Ah, yes. The weather. 

Although the skies were clear and the air cool, come 6 p.m., a stiff breeze had started to sweep over the grounds at Simard-Payne Memorial Park. While several of the hot air balloons were laid out and ready to go, when the official launch time rolled around, only one balloon, the Tailwind piloted by Jim Rodrigue, went up. 

There was just too much wind for most pilots, many of whom inflated their balloons but stayed grounded. Shortly after 7 p.m., a second balloon, the Remax, took to the air, as well, but the others stayed grounded, awaiting the always popular moon glow.  

Randy Lee, in blue, confers with fellow pilot Mark Fritze, in black, about wind conditions Friday evening after letting up a pi ball during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. A pi ball is a small helium-filled balloon that helps pilots determine wind conditions. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

For some, the lack of a full launch was disappointing, especially after the Friday morning launch was canceled as well due to heavy fog. But it was not so disappointing that many people left the grounds earlier than planned. 

By 7:30 p.m., thousands still packed the park, to the point that it was shoulder-to-shoulder in most areas. 

Down by the river, an 8-year-old girl named Scarlett was feeding french fries to a flock of happy ducks. Scarlett, for one, didn’t seem at all perturbed by the fact that there was only one balloon floating in the sky. 

“She doesn’t really come to check out the balloons,” said Vinnie Cyr, the girl’s father. “She loves the carnival, all the rides and anything that involves buying a stuffed animal. She’s having fun and that’s my thing. That’s why I’m here.” 

That was a common attitude. Most festivalgoers adopted a shrugging attitude to the lack of balloons in the sky. There was too much else going on to complain about it, and let’s face it: for a long while, it looked as though there wouldn’t be a balloon festival at all this year. 

When the original festival organizers announced earlier in the year that they had to cancel due to funding woes, city officials from both Lewiston and Auburn stepped in to right the ship. 

“It was pretty sad when they decided to cancel it,” Robbins said. “I’m glad the cities stepped up to take it over.” 

Jim Rodrigue of Lewiston flies away in his balloon Friday evening during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. Rodrigue was the first pilot who decided to fly Friday evening. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Others declared they’d keep coming back from the three-day festival whether or not the balloons got up in the air. It’s about so much more than that. 

“It’s all about community and getting people together,” said Colt Bush who was at the festival with his family. “If the balloons go up, that’ll be great, too. Who doesn’t like seeing a hot air balloon going up? It’s an amazing sight.” 

Others were holding out hope of seeing the skies over the Twin Cities dotted with balloons, some of them of the fancy, specialty balloon variety.  

Tyla Davis, for one, really needed to see the Spyderpig balloon aloft. 

Many years ago, Davis heard Homer Simpson singing his famous song about the creature and now here it was in Lewiston-Auburn, having taking on the form of a hot air balloon. 

“I’ve been singing ‘Spider Pig’ for three days now!” Davis wrote on the festival Facebook page. “I’m hoping seeing the actual balloon will bring me the closure I need.” 

For balloon ground crews, the unpredictable nature of the launches was nothing new. The weather has to be pretty precise for a balloon to get safely on the ground, they said. When one launch is canceled, they start thinking about the next one. 

Heather Bourassa knows all about it. For 21 years, she’s been on the crew of Carolina High, working with the dazzling Spellbound Spirit II balloon that features the images of two bears and a soaring eagle. 

The Spellbound Spirit didn’t launch Friday night, but the mood of the crew wasn’t dampened because of it. As always, it was the enthusiasm of those who come to the festivals that make all the work and uncertainty worth it. 

“It’s seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces and the joy that all of this brings to them, honestly,” Bourassa said.  

For the rest of the night, the festival was about live music, food from a variety of vendors and the promise of the moon glow. 

The next launch is scheduled for 6 a.m. Saturday, which is expected to be partly cloudy with a small chance of rain. Whether the balloons take the skies is, as always, uncertain, although big crowds are expected over the weekend.

“There is so much to do at the balloon festival,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said, “including food vendors, artisans from around the state, and a fantastic carnival.”

All morning and evening launches will be livestreamed at Sun Journal’s YouTube channel. Balloon updates also bring the latest news from the festival grounds in a play-by-play live blog format.

A crown line keeps control of the balloon while it is still on the ground Friday during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal