Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival flights cancelled due to high winds

High winds forced the cancellation of all balloon flights during the Friday morning launch of the 32nd Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. The festival, held at Simard-Payne Memorial Park, is scheduled to run through Sunday.

Festival officials determined that wind speeds reached 20 mph at an elevation of 500 feet, significantly exceeding the ideal range of 5 to 8 mph required for safe flight. Despite the cancellation of the launches, several pilots inflated their balloons for spectators to view, and hundreds of attendees gathered at the park for the kickoff event.