Balloon Festival Opens With Dawn Liftoff

By Terry Boudreau

The 2013 N.J. Festival of Ballooning got underway at first light Friday morning with a number of balloons taking flight.  

Balloons and pilots from around the country, some from Texas and New Mexico, came for the festival that continues throughout the weekend at Solberg Airport in Readington. The festival also includes vendors, musical acts like "Blues Traveler" and "REO Speedwagon," and carnival and balloon rides.

A special treat Friday morning was the raising of the shuttle balloon, Patriot, the largest hot air balloon in the world, rising up 19 stories. The balloon sees limited service because of its size.  

While being assembled, it was found that the nose of the balloon was damaged. A quilter from Ringoes, Suzy, came to the rescue to patch up the balloon. Suzy is a United flight attendant and for 10 years she and her husband were part of the crew of the Continental Airlines balloon traveling around the country to participate in balloon events.