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2016 Lincoln Balloon Fest
LINCOLN DAILY NEWS
August 30, 2016
Friday evening at the Logan
County Airport, the 2016 Lincoln
Balloon Festival started off with
less than a bang, but none-the-
less, there were very few who
were complaining about the
uncooperative weather.
Around 5 p.m., the wind was
moving at a quickened but not
violent pace from the east, and a
few sprinkles were splatting down
on the heads of those who had
come to see balloons launch around
6:30 p.m.
At the pilots meeting, the weather
was a concern, and many pilots
decided that it was not going to be
a night to take flight. However,
they were hopeful that they could
still do a glow, later in the evening.
Soon after 6 p.m., the weather
seemed to shift, and not for the
better. A heavy cloud bank came in
from the south as the wind changed
and also picked up a bit. It was not
looking good.
However, a conversation with the
National Weather Service predicted
that a storm that had hit the Decatur
area pretty hard, was going to pass
over Lincoln with no precipitation.
Once that storm was gone, it was
expected that the winds would die
back down a bit, and shift again to
come from the east.
Each year, the balloon glow is
divided with
half of the
balloons
participating
on Friday
night and the
other half
on Saturday
night.
The half
designated
not to fly on
Friday night
called it a
night, but
several of
those who
were supposed to blow on Friday,
decided they would stay and see
what Mother Nature dished out.
For those visiting the airport with
the hopes of seeing the balloons
inflate, none seemed to be too
bothered by the wait. For the
kids there was a petting zoo that
featured a baby llama everyone
loved, along with baby pigs, sheep,
and goats.
The rock wall was still popular
because in spite of the overcast
skies, there was no lightening to
worry about, and kids seemed
to enjoy climbing under slightly
windy conditions.
The food trucks were selling items
at a steady pace. It was good.
Lines were not long, food was
going out quickly, and everyone
seemed happy to grab a sandwich
or an order of fries or an ice cream
sandwich, and find a nice spot to
sit among the many tables set out
along the midway.
The live music playing at the south
end of the midway was good.
The volume was perfect to float
across the midway and onto the
grass runway. Folks took out their
lawnchairs, sat at tables, or spread
out blankets, and enjoyed the food
and music as they patiently waited
to see what would happen at dusk.
They were not to be disappointed.
As darkness approached out on the
grass runway, balloonists began
pulling their envelopes out of their
pouches and gearing up for an
attempt to inflate. Sub Divo was
the first to give it a go with others
including Done Deal, Good and
CONTINUE ►
Gap in weather lets
balloonists “Glow”
Friday night
By Nila Smith