Sun Journal photographers capture spectacle of festival
It’s halfway through the pinnacle event of the year for the cities of Lewiston and Auburn, and launch-wise, it’s already more successful than the prior year. The wind has behaved well enough to accommodate two out of three scheduled balloon launches that have occurred thus far. Festival attendees who showed up to catch Friday morning’s kickoff launch were disappointed when it was deemed too windy to take off. There was a common worry that the weekend would be a wash because of a worsening weather forecast.
Sun Journal reporter Matthew Jaroncyk is among the passengers of the Sunrise Passion balloon as it lifts off Friday night during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)
But those grounded hopes — and balloons — were able to take flight by the evening. That excitement lasted into the next day when the earliest of risers were greeted with a caravan of trucks and trailers hauling the hot air balloons and their associated crews at 5:45 a.m.
One-year-old Lainey points at an ascending hot air balloon while mom Ashley watches on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Ticket holders for Saturday morning’s rides were able to keep their reservations. That included a group of four family members and friends from southern Maine who were slated to go up first, in “The Pretty One” piloted by Timothy Schonman. Fittingly, one of those passengers, Talia from Gorham, said that she’s been coming to the balloon festival and Lewiston to visit family her whole life, but it would be the first time getting to take a balloon ride.
Balloon pilot Timothy Schnoman prepares for liftoff, with passengers (L to R) Talia, Eliz and Chris ready to fly The Pretty One on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Lewiston. “My grandparents live in Lewiston, so I’ve been coming here my whole life,” said Talia, but it was her first time being able to take a ride in one of the balloons. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Seven balloons would ascend over Simard-Payne Memorial Park, drifting over the Androscoggin River and into Auburn, albeit under a mostly gray sky, in front of a crowd several hundred strong. Many clapped or cheered out loud for each balloon.
Another passenger, Temetrice Rhea-Haynes, flew in from Chicago to take a balloon ride Saturday, on a ticket gifted by her family members. Rhea-Haynes gave hugs and kisses to those family members and told them she loved them, “just in case,” she said, alluding to the potential for an accident.
She landed in the basket of one of the most experienced balloon pilots possible, with Derald Young of Damn Yankee Balloons. Not only has he been flying since 1979, according to his crew, he is based out of Dixfield and knows the local atmosphere as much as anyone could.
When it was finally time to take to the sky and the basket no longer touched the ground, Rhea-Haynes shouted, “up, up, and away!” while waving broadly, eliciting laughter and loud cheers from those watching below.
The Lewiston-Auburn balloon festival continues through Sunday.
Passenger Temetrice Rhea-Haynes waves while riding in a balloon piloted by Derald Young of Dixfield-based Damn Yankee Balloons on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Lewiston. “Up, up and away!” Rhea-Haynes called out to the crowd below. Young’s crew said that the balloon was so new in the company that it doesn’t have a formal name yet, so they’ve been referring to it as “The Pumpkin.” (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Hot air balloons fly over the Androscoggin River while crossing into Auburn on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
A member of the Fast Trax Sky Divers team comes in for a landing Friday night at Simard-Payne Memorial Park during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal) Purchase this image
Balloon pilot Timothy Schnoman prepares his balloon, The Pretty One, on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Lewiston. It was the first of the morning to take flight. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Hot air balloons ascend over Lewiston on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
A member of the Fastrax skydiving team comes in for a landing Friday night at Simard-Payne Memorial Park during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal) Purchase this image
Crew members Caleb Supernor, left, and Venise Monto hold down the Charlie Brown on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. The balloon is piloted by Jacob Godfrey. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Nautica, 4, waves at people in the parade procession while mom Misty smiles on Lincoln Street during the Lewiston Auburn Balloon Festival parade on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)
A balloon piloted by Derald Young of Dixfield-based Damn Yankee Balloons takes flight on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. His crew said that the balloon was so new in the company that it doesn’t have a formal name yet, so they’ve been referring to it as “The Pumpkin.” (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Grounds crew member Ben Weisner seals up a balloon nicknamed “The Pumpkin” on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
A member of the Fast Trax Sky Divers team comes in for a landing Friday night at Simard-Payne Memorial Park during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal) Purchase this image
Balloon passengers 14-year-old Cora, left, and Chris, put a bit of work in before their ride on The Pretty One on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Lewiston. The balloon, piloted by Tim Schonman, was the first of the morning to take flight. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Volunteers with John F. Murphy Homes, including Mary Santamaria, left, and Cindy Berube cook blueberry pancakes for the pancake feed on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Children with candy-dyed blue mouths pass by on a flatbed trailer on Main Street during the Lewiston Auburn Balloon Festival parade on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)
The LL Bean Boot Mobile makes its way down Main Street during the Lewiston Auburn Balloon Festival parade on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)
Ellyana, 3, watches balloons take flight while perched atop her dad Kaleb’s shoulders on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Crew member Caleb Supernor holds down the Charlie Brown on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. The balloon is piloted by Jacob Godfrey. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
An American flag wagon supports the American flag patterned canvas bag containing the envelope of the America One balloon on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Members of the Fast Trax Sky Divers team salute after landing Friday night at Simard-Payne Memorial Park during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
A woman takes a photo of specialty balloon Flighthouse on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Grandma Linda, mom Chantelle, and 4-year-old Jaylen enjoy the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026.(Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
People in a balloon basket pass by the Hopeful sign on Main Street during the Lewiston Auburn Balloon Festival parade on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)
Declan Chan, 6, of Auburn uses an inflatable hot air balloon toy as a punching bag on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
Hot air balloons dot the sky on Saturday morning, Aug. 22, 2026 during the Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival in Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
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Libby Kamrowski KennyStaff Photographer
Libby Kamrowski Kenny is a staff photographer at the Sun Journal who came aboard in June 2025. She’s been in journalism longer than that though, as her prematurely graying hair can attest, starting as. More by Libby Kamrowski Kenny
