What is the Crown of Maine? In the northern most state on the east coast, the very top of the state is a huge sparsely populated area called Aroostook County, or as it’s popularly known in Maine, people just refer to it as “the county”. Driving north, after leaving the interstate, you travel on Route 1, past signs for the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, signs warning about moose crossings, and little green rectangles notifying the drivers they’ve entered an “unorganized territory” identified only by map numbers.

We were headed to Presque Isle, a city of less than 10,000 people, who like most rural places over the last few decades have suffered economically. Twenty years ago, the Chamber of Commerce brought colorful hot air balloons to the town for the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest in hopes of boosting tourism. And its working! At least it worked to get us to travel to furthest northeast corner of the US.

We received a warm welcome and enjoyed chatting with local folks in this small city. Traditionally, potato farming country, we saw potato fields and “on your honor” potato farm stands all along Rt 1, We stayed at the Northeastland Hotel, run by a non profit community development project called Ignite PI, which is offering discounted meeting and co working spaces for digital nomads and entrepreneurs in hopes of attracting new businesses of all kinds to open in Presque Isle. Already, the excellent restaurant and simple comfortable hotel are creating an anchor for other businesses on main street that we enjoyed visiting, including a bike shop, a coffee shop, and boosting traffic to existing popular local restaurants and shops. And the reasonably priced co working spaces and fresh country air might one day attract a digital nomad with the "next “big idea”! We enjoyed our visit to “the county” and would definitely go back at other times of year to enjoy other delights of the area, including, wildlife, fishing, foliage, snowmobiles and history.

We didn’t come to innovate, but instead we arrived to see the hot air balloons at the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest and possibly have a ride in a hot air balloon. Generally held the weekend before Labor Day, the schedule is jam packed with potential mass ascensions, a craft fair, a children’s inflatable play area, live entertainment and a variety of food trucks. A highlight is being able to take a ride in a hot air balloon (If you plan to visit, be sure to follow COMBF on social media and check their website in June and July to book limited balloon rides offered by the balloonists if the weather permits.)

We arrived in time to attend the Opening Ceremony, held at the Northern Fair Grounds, included a gathering of balloon pilots, spectators, local beauty pageant winners, sponsors and volunteers. The ribbon “cutting” to open the festival was actually done with one of the burner flames that are used to heat the air inside the balloon and power the balloons up into the sky.

Once kicked off, the festival kicked it up to high gear, as we waited for the first mass ascensions of all balloons, a local rock band took the stage and played with a full brass section and folks were visiting the food trucks for dinner. Hot air balloons require just the right weather and wind conditions to be able to launch. Within a few minutes of launch, it became clear that the winds were not in a favorable direction for the balloons to launch from the fairgrounds and the balloonists and their passengers who signed up for Thursday evening flight left to find a more favorable launch site. We overheard where that might be and left the fairgrounds to head to the revised launch site.

At the alternative two launch sites, we were treated to balloons setting up, filling with air and then launching into the sky! The experience is magnificent, and hard to define, watching these beautiful works of art take to the sky in silence other than the occasional blast of the burners to heat the air in the balloon. Gracious and magnificent, I marveled as balloons filled and floated over my head, even while knowing my own scheduled flight was unlikely to launch because of the poor weather predictions for the rest of the weekend.

A “quick” look at the inflation of several balloons!

An inside look at the launch process, the work the balloonists and volunteers do to get the balloons into the sky!

Czech Mate and Holocron

As predicted, the weather didn’t improve on Friday or Saturday, flights were grounded for safety, and our scheduled flight was canceled! Some balloon events did happen on Saturday night and Sunday morning, but I noted that hot air ballooning is a lot like watching wildlife or going on a safari, you go with the hopes of having a certain experience, but there are no guarantees, we are at the mercy of the whims of weather and nature and that just makes the experiences you do get that much more delightful!

Photos: J Klofft

Article and Video: K Klofft