LEWISTON – The 12th annual Great Falls Balloon Festival begins Friday, with balloons taking shape and lifting into the air in multiple locations on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This year 44 balloons are expected, making the Great Falls Balloon Festival the largest in New England, said Balloon Meister Walter Crites of Auburn. The festival has been the largest in New England since its fifth year, “which is an extraordinary feat to the people who thought of this,” Crites said. “It’s taken root.” Others might say it’s taken flight.

The festival attracts multitudes of smiles from appreciative fans, and pilots come across the country. Crites himself will be among the 44 pilots, navigating his colorful Rainbow’s End.

Weather permitting, the first launch will be at 6 a.m. Friday at the Railroad River Park in Lewiston near the river. An estimated 25 balloons are expected to fill the skyline Friday morning. All four of this year’s specialty balloons – the Purple People Eater, Octopus’ Garden, Amazon Birds and Brazilian Clown – are scheduled to take off.

The second launch will be 6 p.m. Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, balloons will take off both at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Launches depend on weather conditions. Balloons can’t take off in wind, fog or rain. “Clouds are fine,” Crites said.

Most balloons will rise from the Railroad River Park, where many food booths will be offering their specialties. Other launches will be at a number of locations: the Colisee (ice arena) in Lewiston, and at the Auburn Middle School, the Walton School, Cleveland field off Cleveland Avenue, and the Central Maine Community College field.

The four specialty balloons are planning takeoffs Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. During the afternoons, they’ll be inflated, but will remain on the ground so they can be admired. The most popular launch is Saturday afternoon, when crowds swell to as many as 35,000, Crites said.

The last launch resembles the first, with 25 instead of 44 balloons rising. Several pilots must leave early Sunday because they have a long distance to go home, Crites said.

Crites advises balloon watchers to arrive at least 30 minutes before the morning liftoffs, and one hour before the afternoon launches. There is no admission fee.

There’ll be plenty of food sold, all by volunteers of nonprofit organizations. Examples of those nonprofits are the booster clubs at the three city high schools, Lewiston, Edward Little and St. Dom’s, plus the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, New Auburn Legion Post and the Kora Cycle Corps.

While the balloons are the big stars, between takeoffs there’ll be ample music, dance, museum and historical building tours, and other entertainment throughout the day on both sides of the river.

A firemen’s muster will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Railroad Park. A chivalry arms show featuring the Black Knight and Lord Alexander Clark (good knight) raising swords will be held in Railroad Park. The knights will perform twice an hour from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. Saturday. And when the sun goes down Friday and Saturday, there’ll be a special “moon glow” when the balloons are inflated and lit.

For someone who’s never been, and for fans who have been, Crites recommends the festival. “The sight of 44 balloons floating around in the air is a sight most people have never seen,” Crites said. “Combine that with the flavor of a festival, that’s what you’ve got.”

The Sun Journal will offer daily listings of times and locations of events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, along with coverage.

For more information, go to: www.greatfallsballoonfestival.org.