After two years without many of the Twin Cities' signature celebrations, all are set to return this year.

Organizers cited the pandemic mandates and the number of visitors drawn to the three-day festival.

There's no balloon festival this year but a couple balloon pilots take off Saturday morning.

There's no balloon festival this year but a couple balloon pilots hoped to take off Saturday morning.

Here is a selection of videos of launches from past balloon festivals from various viewpoints.

Rolly's Diner in Auburn does not let a canceled festival prevent it from decorating like it does every year.

Brewfest, festivals and Maine State Bicentennial Parade scheduled for summer.

The big parade in Lewiston-Auburn had been planned in May, but COVID-19 concerns forced its postponement.

After five consecutive launch cancellations at the Great Falls Balloon Festival, the sunny weather and clear skies held on, allowing for a successful launch Sunday evening at Simard-Payne Memorial Park

The balloons didn't go up Saturday night but they did Sunday night. See the crowds and some balloons inflate from a new viewpoint.

While the prospects for viable launch conditions Sunday evening are still up in the air, it still looks feasible.

For the fourth time during the 27th annual Great Falls Balloon Festival, the scheduled balloon launch had to be canceled due to strong winds and unfavorable weather conditions, but that didn't stop festival-goers from having a good time Saturday afternoon and evening.

A cloudy sky came with a host of hazards, leading the Great Falls Balloon Festival to cancel its third and fourth planned launches of the weekend.

"Look at everybody down here. Everybody's having a good time. We're going to have so much fun this weekend, it's just awesome," said Paul Englehart, Raspberry Ripple crew chief.

SunJournal.com is FREE all weekend for our LIVE coverage of the 27th Annual Great Falls Balloon Festival in downtown Lewiston-Auburn, Maine.

Balloons were grounded both morning and evening on the first day of the Great Falls Balloon Festival.