The magic of flight is available to all this weekend during Frederick’s 13th annual hot air balloon festival. On Friday morning, Frederick in Flight drew spectators to Centennial Park as early as 5:30 a.m.
to catch the action. The free festival will continue Saturday and Sunday at the park, 630 Eighth St., with balloon lifts each day at 6 a.
m. Due to cloudy conditions and low visibility on Friday, the balloons weren’t able to launch. The pilots were still able to entertain kids and adults with a “static display” of their inflated balloons tethered to the ground.
“(It’s about) the beauty of being around the balloons,” said Jessica Hill, communications and engagement specialist for Frederick. Hill said weather conditions look favorable for the rest of the weekend, though all balloon lifts are subject to cancellation for safety reasons. This year’s festival theme is “Wild West,” which accounted for a couple of cowboy-themed balloons that debuted Friday.
The park will host a “Balloon Bash” party on Saturday evening featuring live country music, as the town expects roughly 5,000 people to attend. Hill said Frederick residents get excited about the festival every year. She said it’s been fun to watch Frederick in Flight grow alongside the town’s other signature events, like Chainsaws and Chuckwagons and Miners Day.
“We have these niche event cultures,” Hill said. “I think Frederick does that really well. It’s so cool to have a community that thri.