It may be hard to believe, especially for the dilettantes out there that after over a decade of attending the Montgolfieres festival in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, the event is still as fresh and exciting as ever.  Tonight’s flight marked my 20th hot air balloon ride.  My previous balloon ascents in: Gatineau, Quebec, Glens Fall, N.Y., and Burlington, VT., only pale in comparison to my favourite site, here in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Our beloved Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu balloon festival has been raising heads since 1984.  I have always been grippingly drawn to these colourful floating objects in the sky.  Yet, my appreciation for these magnificent creations only heightened once I attended my first hot air balloon event and since then I have never looked back.

It seems most balloon pilots enjoy visiting this wonderful event.  Not surprisingly, our pilot Andrew Avon from Lake George, brought his parents and girlfriend along for this year’s 10 day festival adventure.

Originally, I was scheduled to go up with Andrew in Clown ‘N’ Around last Sunday, however due to inclement weather the clown stayed on the ground, and actually saw little action at this year’s annual event.  According to Guillaume Poirier, the festival’s Communications Coordinator this year’s early evening flights were mostly marred by bad weather, however the morning flights were much more favourable with all flights going up except for two mornings.

Saturday’s flight also seemed in doubt.  An hour before the tentative lift off time Festival organizers prophesized a 50/50 chance of the balloons ascending into the heavens above.  The sky looked threatening at best and I felt that we would stay on the ground yesterday.  In the end the flight went off without a hitch and everyone was smiling including our smiling balloon, Clown ‘N’ Around.

Needless to say once up it was another unforgettable experience.  Each flight I take seems to surpass the one before.  It never gets old.  The sensation you get is amazing, incredible and unlike any other.  It is as close as a human can get to flying.  The wind in your face, the height attained without being scared and the incredible views are all feelings you cannot duplicate any other way nor can you put a price tag on them.  If you have not yet gone up in a giant colourful balloon I highly recommend it.

While the balloons were the stars of the show in Saint Jean there were also amazing co-stars.  There were great musical acts all week.  A little bit for everyone as Ke$ha, LMFAO, Pitbull, Rock Voisine, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, Marie-Mai, and Eric Lapointe all put on high energy shows that were greatly appreciated by fans and festival attendees.

For the better part of 10 days kids and the young at heart  bounced on inflatable games, rode amusement park rides, ate loads of cotton candy and french fries, and played carnival games.

Fun up in the blue (or grey and cloudy) skies and on the ground.  It was everywhere for the entire duration of the festival and those of us who attended were the better for it.