Hot air balloons take off on Sunday morning from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. After four failed launches, balloon pilots were finally given the go-ahead to fly. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons take off on Sunday morning from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. After four failed launches, balloon pilots were finally given the go-ahead to fly. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Sun Journal Audience Engagement Editor Nina Mahaleris peeks out of the basket of a hot air balloon on Sunday morning before launching from Simard Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons take off on Sunday morning from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. After four failed launches, balloon pilots were finally given the go-ahead to fly. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

A hot air balloon floats through the sky over Lewiston on Sunday morning during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons take off on Sunday morning from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. After four failed launches, balloon pilots were finally given the go-ahead to fly. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons take to the sky on Sunday morning from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the first successful launch of the three-day festival. Poor weather conditions canceled the previous four launches. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons take to the sky on Sunday morning from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the first successful launch of the three-day festival. Poor weather conditions canceled the previous four launches. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

A hot air balloon floats on Sunday morning over Lewiston after taking off from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the first successful launch of the three-day festival. Poor weather conditions grounded the previous four attempts. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons float on Sunday morning over Lewiston after taking off from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the first successful launch of the three-day festival. Poor weather conditions grounded the previous four attempts. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons float on Sunday morning over Lewiston after taking off from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the first successful launch of the three-day festival. Poor weather conditions grounded the previous four attempts. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Hot air balloons float on Sunday morning over Lewiston after taking off from Simard-Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston during the first successful launch of the three-day festival. Poor weather conditions grounded the previous four attempts. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

A hot air balloon drifts on Sunday morning past Lewiston landmarks during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The Scarecrow hot air balloon floats through the sky on Sunday morning over Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The specialty balloon “Little D” lands on Sunday morning in the upper parking lot at Lewiston High School. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The Scarecrow hot air balloon prepares to lay down Sunday morning in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal