This weekend’s hot-air balloon races in Creston will be making up for the celebration canceled when American airspace was closed a year ago. Bill Fastenow says a highlight will be tonight’s flyover starting from…who knows where?He says probably two-thirds of the 53 balloonists will participate, and they’ll lift off from some direction that will let them drift over the town of Creston, depending on which way the wind’s blowing. In addition to the Friday-night flight the balloons hope to lift off Saturday at 6-30 AM and 4-30 PM, and Sunday morning. In addition, they’ll be tethered in place for a “Night Glow” Saturday at dusk. Fastenow says in addition to events at the airport, the balloon event takes over downtown Creston with a parade Saturday. They’ve got nine bands coming, the Southside Kitchen Band, bathtub races and a pet show, kites and rockets and airplane rides. Fastenow says this is second only to the Indianola event in number of balloons entered. The delayed event notes the 25th anniversary of the balloon festival that was set to be held last year, till the events of September eleventh shut down aerial events and made organizers to postpone the festival till this year.
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