We are giving away cash prizes for the best photos taken at this year's festival.

Local balloonists felt safe taking flight despite the breeze on Friday evening.

Organizers hail success of a festival that drew big, happy crowds despite weather that kept most balloons from taking flight.

No morning launches were made at the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival this year. Balloons will try taking off one last time Sunday evening before the festival wraps up.

After a third unsuccessful launch attempt Saturday morning at the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival, crowds continued enjoying the food, games, rides, vendors and music during the event’s second day.

Friday and Saturday launches were all canceled because of flight conditions, but that wasn't enough to keep Simard-Payne Memorial Park from filling with folks.

Three balloons inflated Saturday morning but didn't go anywhere because of foggy conditions.

Low visibility grounded Saturday's morning launch at the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival.

Although only two balloons got off the ground for the Friday night launch, the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon festival was heavily attended and hopes were high for weekend launches.

After five canceled balloon launches between Friday and Sunday morning, Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival attendees came out one last time with hopes to see a launch.

The Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival gets a rocky start. Next takeoff is set for 6 p.m. Friday, weather permitting.

Heavy fog reduced visibility — thus forcing cancelation of the launch scheduled for 6 a.m. Friday.

Although the hot air balloons did not take off Friday or Saturday morning, some did inflate to give the crowd a good look at what's in store for the rest of the weekend.

So far, four launches have been grounded due to weather conditions.

This will be the final attempt at a launch for the 2024 Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival.

So far, four launches have been grounded due to weather conditions.

The Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival grounded the balloons because of heavy fog.

After Friday morning's launch was scrubbed, the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival will attempt to launch its hot air balloons in the evening.

The next launch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday.

From two miles up, the balloonist said, he was 'a speck in mid-sky, hanging on nothing.'

Updates will be posted during the balloon launches at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston.

Fourteen hot-air balloons will be soaring above the Twin Cities Friday through Sunday, with a lot more fun happening at the Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston.

The hot air balloon festival runs Friday through Sunday with launches at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day.

The balloons and pilots you can see Aug. 16-18 at the 2024 Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival.

What you need to know for the 2024 Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival on Aug. 16-18.

In addition to the balloons and many musical acts, American Idol star Julie Gagnon will perform Sunday afternoon.

The festival, scheduled to take off Aug. 16, has so far seen $144,650 in sponsorships and donations.

The Office of Tourism grant will be used to help draw new audiences to the balloon festival and hopefully to increase the number of overnight stays by festival goers.

With less than two months until it takes flight, officials are optimistic they will raise $180,000 in private donations, receiving $49,000 so far.

The announcement comes after the two cities decided to team up to organize a 2024 edition of the annual balloon fest, and those involved now have only two months to finalize the details.

Across the country, it's been tough to keep balloons in the air year after year.

Festival organizers agree 'show should go on,' but will leave it to City Hall to make it happen.

The city said attempts to hold a meeting with the festival board to discuss the details of its proposal have so far been unsuccessful.

The festival board of directors notified city leaders Monday that it was rejecting their offer to help with planning, logistics and administrative functions.

As organizers of the Great Falls Balloon Festival consider a proposal from the city to partner on this year's event, board members and officials discussed the costs and obstacles associated with putting on the annual festival.

After the festival board announced Wednesday morning it was canceling this summer's event, city administration and staff put together a proposal to partner with the board to 'help get this event off the ground.'

The Great Falls Balloon Festival board of directors canceled this year's event due to 'logistical issues, safety concerns, and other unexpected factors beyond our control.'

The Great Falls Balloon Festival board of directors said 'logistical issues, safety concerns, and other unexpected factors beyond our control' forced their difficult decision.

The launch was canceled due to weather conditions.

Balloon pilots, passengers and thousands of onlookers rejoiced as Sunday morning and evening balloons launches at the Great Falls Balloon Festival in Lewiston were a success.

The 2023 Great Falls Balloon Festival has scheduled a final launch at 6 p.m. Sunday from Simard-Payne Memorial Park.

As launch after launch was canceled due to weather, my chances of riding in a hot air balloon for the first time were fading fast.

The hot air balloons finally launched on the third day of the Great Falls Balloon Festival.

The 2023 Great Falls Balloon Festival launched at 6 a.m. Sunday from Simard-Payne Memorial Park.

Four balloon launches were canceled due to weather, but crowds came out for all the fun going on between the scheduled launches.

The 2023 Great Falls Balloon Festival canceled the balloon launch Saturday evening from Simard-Payne Memorial Park.

The hot air balloons stayed on the ground Saturday morning after the Great Falls Balloon Festival canceled launches for the third time.

The 2023 Great Falls Balloon Festival canceled the morning's launch but inflated several balloons at Simard-Payne Memorial Park.

In spite of steady rain and swampy conditions under foot, well over a hundred people had gathered in the park, taking in the entertainment and waiting for the arrival of the balloons. 

The 2023 Great Falls Balloon Festival has canceled both planned launches Friday.

Cuddles the Teddy Bear goes for a ride during 2023 Great Falls Balloon Festival.

The Great Falls Balloon Festival canceled Friday morning's launch due to weather but some crews inflated their hot air balloons for the crowd that came to Simard-Payne Memorial Park.

Our readers got some great images during the festival this year.

Some balloons inflated but did not launch Friday from Simard-Payne Memorial Park.

Pilots come together as staff and volunteers prepare for Friday's first launch of the annual balloon festival in Lewiston-Auburn.

The festival this weekend allows visitors to share the field with the balloon crews getting ready for launch. Keep these tips and safety measures in mind.

The parade will go down Main Street in Auburn from the Elm Street intersection across Longley Bridge into Lewiston, down Lincoln Street and up Chestnut Street ending at the Mill Street intersection.