Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival continues despite weather concerns

The Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival is currently underway at Simard-Payne Memorial Park. Despite initial concerns regarding a worsening weather forecast and high winds that prevented a Friday morning kickoff, the event has seen successful launches.

As of Saturday, August 22, 2026, two out of three scheduled balloon launches have successfully taken place. Early morning activities included crews arriving at 5:45 a.m. to prepare for flights, and ticket holders for Saturday morning rides were able to maintain their reservations.