Up Up and Away

Hot air balloons prepare to lift off from the SUN ‘n FUN grounds in Lakeland, Florida, during the second Up Up and Away Florida Hot Air Balloon and Music Festival. (Photo by Ron Stiltner, courtesy of Up Up and Away Florida)

Balloons crowded the skies over Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) in Florida the first weekend in May when the three-day Up Up and Away Florida Hot Air Balloon and Music Festival took off.

This is the second time the festival was held on the grounds of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo and organizers say they hope to make it an annual event.

Held May 6-8, 2022, the festival did suffer a bit from some windy conditions that prevented balloon rides on Saturday afternoon.

The Balloon Glow. (Photo by Ron Stiltner, courtesy of Up Up and Away Florida)

But the morning and night shows featured static balloons lit up, called a Balloon Glow, while balloons were launched in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday had the best ballooning weather, with rides starting early in the morning. Tethered rides were $20 and launched rides were $250, sold in advance through the Up Up and Away Florida website.

(Photo by Ron Stiltner, courtesy of Up Up and Away Florida)

The music part of the festival included live performances by Rico Monaco Band, Audio Exchange, Epic Live, Damon Fowler, The Gerry Williams Band, Champán D’Barrio, Metro Latino Band, The Franchise Players, WEEP, and Stacy Gabel.

The Metro Latino Band played through windy conditions on Saturday. (Photo by Joni M. Fisher)

Also on hand was “Squawk! The Amazing Bird Show,” which lived up to its name. This exotic bird act has played in Las Vegas, on the David Letterman Show, and on Animal Planet. Debbie and Mark Obarka trained the birds to paint, play games, count, and perform multiple tricks while Debbie’s clean humor presents the personalities and talents of the birds.

Debbie Obarka presented Squawk! The Amazing Bird Show with humor as she demonstrated what her exotic birds could do. (Photo by Tim Card, courtesy of Up Up and Away Florida)

Other attractions included helicopter rides from pilots Jena Kendall and Andy Nafe from Tampa Bay Aviation in a 4-seat Robinson R44, a car show on Sunday, food vendors, and fair vendors selling a variety of merchandise.