LEWISTON – As retired firefighter and pilot Grant Aiello lifted his Octopus’ Garden hot air balloon into Friday morning’s sky, he bowed and waved to the cheering fans.

If you’re going to fly a colorful, 80-foot-tall hot air balloon in the shape of a blue Octopus, with dolphins and fish attached, it doesn’t hurt to be a ham.

Aiello was all smiles and wisecracks as he made his maiden flight, and later showed a soft spot for kids and ladies, especially those in the Morse Avenue neighborhood where his balloon dropped down.

The Great Falls Balloon Festival launch kicked off a little late, but with plenty of gusto as balloon after balloon took to the skies starting around 6:30 a.m. at Railroad Park. At 7:10 a.m. the Brazilian Clown was nearly in the air, and the Octopus was taking shape.

Moments later Aiello gave the signal, and his crew let go. “We’re off!” he said while the crowd hooted and applauded. Aiello responded with the showy bows of a circus ringleader.

Soon the balloon was high over Lewiston, sailing over Twin City landmarks made tiny by the height, and surrounded by other colorful balloons.

The flight was smooth. Aiello said his balloon was going faster then it felt, as it drifted with the wind. As the Octopus’ Garden sailed over East Avenue and toward Sabattus Street, Aiello kept in radio contact with his chase crew.

Aiello said he got into hot air ballooning through the Brazilian Clown pilot, Kenny Shumate. “I was a firefighter. I met him driving semi trucks. He was always asking me about fire department stuff. I got him into the fire department. He got me into this. I love it. It’s a lot of fun.”

How long has he been flying? “This is my third flight,” he mused, giving one of his many answers meant to keep the questioner guessing.

Aiello later said he has about 40 hours flying the Octopus, which would be about 80 flights.

All too soon it was time to look for a landing spot. “I’m probably going to follow that clown balloon. We’ll try to land in the same field he does.” Where a balloon lands is decided by where the wind goes. “Pilots are good at reading the winds,” Aiello said.

As the Octopus reached the Hillview housing complex, it dropped closer to earth. Kids and adults stood on porches and in yards staring up, waving. Aiello aimed for a baseball field, but the winds had other plans. He ended up in a Morse Avenue back yard.

David Ouellette and Kyle Gosselin, both 12, were first to reach the Octopus. “Here, grab the balloon,” Aiello called out. His chase crew and a neighborhood crowd surrounded the balloon.

That’s when Aiello became the hero. “Hey! All you people. Come here!” he yelled out. “All the people, come here! Watch out for the (van) driver. He will get you,” he joked. “I hope this lady (landowner) doesn’t mind. I’m dead if she does.”

Once the balloon was securely tied to the ground, Aiello welcomed the neighborhood to a close-up look while he demonstrated ballooning basics. He offered all the children tethered rides, going up a short distance while the balloon is tied.

Up dozens of feet in the air, children waved, grinning, from the basket. Neighbors and parents snapped pictures. “We’ve been chasing balloons for six years. We’ve never gotten to go up in a specialty balloon. This is a total treat,” said Michele Lever of Auburn, after her three children got a tethered ride. “This is so awesome. The kids are just thrilled.”

Aiello asked if landowner Lisa Turgeon had arrived home. He wanted permission to be on her land. “If you give us a ride, we won’t tell her,” teased Turgeon’s mother, Lorraine Pepin. Pepin and Lorraine Labbe climbed in the basket. As Pepin climbed in she held onto Aiello for several long seconds, prompting her neighbors to giggle and cheer.

By the time Turgeon arrived, the balloon was flattened. She was disappointed. “That’s my favorite one.”

Her mother hinted she had something big to tell her.

“What, you went in the balloon?” Turgeon asked, taking the bait. Her mother nodded and said, “And I hugged the pilot!”

Aiello wrapped up his flight by telling about the world’s first balloon flight near Paris in 1783. He handed out authentic Octopus balloon pins and poured champaign for the whole neighborhood. The kids got soda.

He drove off in his van. On the vehicle, he was described, among other things, as the “casual hero.”