Balloon fest ready for takeoff

MARTINSBURG - The upcoming Spirit of America Over Martinsburg Balloon Festival could offer the perfect reprieve from this week's scorching temperatures, according to event organizers.

"It looks like it's going to be great," event official Nicolas Diehl said of the weekend's weather.

No thunderstorms or rain clouds are anticipated, and temperatures in the area are expected to drop considerably, he said.

That's good news for Diehl and the numerous other people who have purchased tickets for the three-day event - which begins Friday at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport near Martinsburg.

As of last week, ticket sales for the festival were double what they had been at the same time last year, when organizers were planning the Spirit of America Over Martinsburg Air Show.

Diehl attributes the increased sales to the United Way. The agency has partnered with him for the festival and is receiving a portion of the profits from the event, he said.

Other agencies are also planning to participate in the area's first balloon festival. Diehl said the local arts association is planning to host a beer and wine garden this weekend, which is just one example of the wide array of activities that will be available at the airport.

Friday the festival will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with a night glow, where tethered balloons will light up the night sky. Gates are scheduled to reopen at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Both days, there will balloon races, live music, static airplane displays and a children's play area.

"I think it's going to be a pretty strong aviation flavor," Diehl said.

He and others are hoping to retain some of the feel of last year's air show. The event proved successful in 2005, but it was put on hold this year because of runway construction that is under way at the airport. At present, the runway is cut down to half its typical length, as workers add extra width and length in preparation for the arrival of a new fleet of planes at the nearby 167th Airlift Wing of the U.S. Air National Guard.

The construction temporarily left many airplanes without the needed space to land and take off on the runway. With this in mind, airport officials decided earlier this year to replace the air show with a balloon festival.

Next year, the group may have to again opt for a balloon festival instead of an air show, according to Airport Manager Bill Walkup.

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