By Andy Diffenderfer
Correspondent
ROCK SPRING, Ga. – Hot-air balloons floated passengers to the skies Friday as the Balloons & Tunes Festival lifted off in Rock Spring, bolstered by a full weekend roster of musical acts.
As the gates at the 23-acre Northwest Georgia Industrial Park opened late in the afternoon, enormous, colorful balloons dotted the skies. Bands hit the stages and food concessionaires, information vendors and crafters were open for business.
The three-day event, produced by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, will feature three stages of musical entertainment through Sunday. Weather permitting, tethered balloon rides and balloon flights were planned for all three days.
On the first day of the festival, balloonists took their crafts, ranging from 77,000 to 120,000 cubic feet, up to dizzying heights on flights, and tethered rides took visitors about 50 feet in the air.
Ten balloons and their FAA-certified pilots came from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, said Stuart Enloe of Atlanta Aerosports in Woodstock, Ga.
“Free flight is like floating on a cloud,” said Enloe, whose position as the event’s balloonmeister, or director, includes keeping track of the weather to ensure safe flights. “For me, every flight is different. It’s a colorful ride and a colorful experience, and it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced.”
“It’s so peaceful, seeing the countryside and floating under a bubble of air,” said David Harwell, a pilot for 27 years.
As part of Southern Rock Night, Nathan Farrow performed on the main stage Friday, opening for Flynnville Train. Tonight is Country Night, with Cody McCarver opening at 6 p.m. for The Band Perry. The festival will wrap up Sunday with Faith and Family Day sponsored by Oakwood Baptist Church.
Food vendors are offering edibles such as gyros, wings and cheesesteaks, among other choices. The Comcast Kids Zone has inflatables for youngsters and booths for body and face art.
Admission per day at the gates is $7 for adults, $4 for kids ages 7-12, and free for kids ages 6 and under. Tethered balloon rides are $10 for adults and $5 for children. The gates are open today from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Andy Diffenderfer is based in LaFayette, Ga. Contact him at andydiff97@comcast.net.