Balloon festival draws large crowds in Colorado Springs

It was another day of large hot air balloons and even larger crowds at Memorial Park.

The second day of the inaugural Labor Day Lift Off attracted thousands of spectators Sunday morning.

“We love it,” said Russell Storm, a Colorado Springs resident. “We enjoy the atmosphere.”

Russell Storm and his wife, Terese Storm, used to attend the Colorado Balloon Classic. After 38 years, the Labor Day weekend festival moved out of Colorado Springs.

“We were very disappointed,” said Terese Storm. “It’s great to still have this going on.”

Several companies applied to take over the annual event in 2015. Hot Apple Productions, a company based in Albuquerque, was chosen to organize the festival. The company rebranded the balloon festival and brought in new attractions and vendors.

“I thought, ‘Oh great, another venue gone and changed,’ said Russell Storm. “It’s nice to have it back without missing a year. It keeps the tradition going.”

Thousands of spectators packed into Memorial Park Sunday to watch more than 60 balloons take to the sky. Hot Apple Productions president Scott Appelman said the crowd turnout was much larger than expected.

While many of the spectators have been to balloon festivals in Colorado Springs, there were plenty of first-timers.

“It’s phenomenal. It’s so enjoyable, it makes me want to cry,” said Marna Bookner, who took her family to the festival. “I think it’s an awesome opportunity for people to get together, families to get together, and yes, I think it should be continued.”

The event wraps up after a final launch at 7 a.m. Monday.