LEWISTON — 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.

Festival organizer Mel Hamlyn said some 50-70 volunteers were at Simard-Payne Memorial Park, where the festival is held, working as vendors, helping crews and keeping the shindig rolling. Since Friday morning when the festival kicked off, there have been an estimated 25,000 visitors, she said.

Despite the cancellations, people are still having fun. But for those holding out hope that they would see a launch Saturday evening, it’ll be at least another day’s wait. The launch was officially canceled shortly after 7 p.m.

But even without takeoff, the balloon festival is still offering plenty for fans to enjoy.

“I’ll tell you what,” Hamlyn said, “If you haven’t come down yet — just come down.” The three-day festival continues through Sunday.

Ron and Diane Lawlor of Poland come to Lewiston every year for the balloon festival. Ron Lawlor said a few years ago he went up in a balloon when Diane Lawlor opted out of a ticket she won through work.

“It wasn’t a long flight, but it was fun,” Ron Lawlor said. “We took off toward the Androscoggin where the pilot dipped the basket in the river three times. It was a great time.”

This year, the Lawlors brought their grandson Roland Lawlor, 7, in hopes to see a successful takeoff. This is Roland’s second year at the festival.

“My favorite part (so far) is the lobster,” Roland said flourishing a souvenir he bought earlier in the day. Asked what he thought of seeing the balloons go up the last time around, he said, “It’s peaceful. But I wouldn’t go on one. Too scary.”

“(The festival) is a good family day out,” Diane Lawlor said.

Pete Preble and his grandchildren play a water game Saturday afternoon at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the second day of the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. From left are Preble, Chloe Bright, Forrest Wade and River Wade. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Although Hamlyn said the outlook for an evening launch had seemed hopeful earlier in the day, winds were gusting in the afternoon and it was ultimately the winds that prevailed. Five specialty shape balloons were scheduled to be out on the field Saturday evening. Regardless of the grounded flights, Spyderpig’s crew was still game for inflation, said pilot Patrick Sullivan.

“The wind’s starting to die down, so we should still be able to stand it up,” Sullivan said, adding that Spyderpig is experimental and doesn’t take passengers.

Sullivan said the morning forecasts look favorable for the scheduled 6 a.m. flights, though the 6 p.m. flights might be rained out. “There might be fog, but aside from that it looks pretty good wind-wise,” he said.

For those curious what makes even a slightly windy flight dangerous, Sullivan said it doesn’t take much.

“Things can go really, really bad. When you look at these flags and see how much they’re flopping around,” he said, “This thing’s 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide. It’s just a giant sail and we’re not on a boat. It’s attached to this (basket) … It can go bad when it’s really windy.”

Stephen Baron, a meteorologist with National Weather Service, said earlier in the day that there was a 30% chance of showers and that it would be mostly cloudy with fog moving in later in the evening.

By around 4 p.m., the forecast was living up to Baron’s readings, but wind speeds were about 9 mph on the ground and the direction was northwest. It was around 7 p.m. when the launch was officially canceled and wind speeds had not improved. Safe wind speeds sit between 4 and 6 mph with a maximum of 10 mph before flights become risky.

“You’d rather be on the ground than up in the air, wishing you were on the ground,” Gail Johnson, a crew member for the Redeemed, said after the morning liftoff was called off.

Izak Chapman and his family returned to the festival for the second time to show daughters Adelynn, 2, and Ellyanna, 3, the hubbub about hot air balloons.

The girls’ grandmother, Jamie Morse of Wilton, said the festivities have been a great day out for the family and that they were all hopeful to see balloons in the air this year.

“Ellyanna asked, ‘Is there more to see?’” Morse laughed.

The girls’ father said the family has already won out despite the scrubbed launch.

“It’s a great opportunity to come out and see people, especially the artisans from all over Maine displaying their work and talents,” Izak Chapman said.

Norman Schneider, left, relaxes in the magic chair he just purchased as he talks with his former longtime co-worker, Bill Lombardi, Saturday afternoon at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the second day of the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. Schneider summers in Casco, but Lombardi lives in Boston and came up hoping to watch the balloons take off. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Chris Ives and son Declan, 8, of Arundel were along with Ellie Griner of Concord, New Hampshire, for the festivities. Griner said the canceled flights were disappointing, but everybody had a lot of fun.

“It’s sad,” Declan said before immediately turning to the highlight of the day. “My dad let us each have $20. We got to do some souvenir shopping.”

Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said earlier Saturday that no matter the outcome of the fourth scheduled balloon flights, it’s evident people were having fun and enjoying one another’s company.

“I’m so proud of us. The entire community has come together to make this festival happen,” Sheline said. “Between city staff and departments on both sides of the river, the local businesses who made donations, and the countless volunteers, all of us have pitched in.”

A balloon launch is scheduled for 6 a.m. Sunday at Simard-Payne Memorial Park, weather permitting. Sun Journal will be livestreaming the launches via YouTube.

Sunday also brings Family Fun Day, which will have several free activities and events for families. Among the action Sunday will be an appearance from Maine’s very own American Idol, Julia Gagnon.