photo by Hannah Reel

Gary Heavin flies his Curves balloon over the Rosalie Bicentennial Gardens during the Balloon Race Festival Saturday.

One balloon keeps skies from being empty Saturday

By Jennifer Edwards (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Sunday, October 18, 2009

NATCHEZ — Just when it looked like the balloon flights were a wash, a flash of purple appeared.

High winds grounded Saturday’s sunrise hot-air balloon flight and threatened the Saturday afternoon flight during the 24th annual Great Mississippi River Balloon Race.

But not wanting to disappoint the crowds that gathered to enjoy the site of hot-air balloons floating overhead, select pilots were given the go-ahead to attempt an afternoon flight.

One highly experienced pilot accepted the challenge and gave the crowd a show in his purple Curves balloon.

Crowds gathered atop the Mississippi River bluff to watch the balloon crew unfold, inflate and send the balloon on its way across Natchez.

Bill Sexton and his 13-year-old daughter Ali Sexton were a couple of the lucky ones who watched the flight unfold from above Roth Hill.

“That was a great sight,” Bill said. “We got to see every step of the process. I’m telling you, that was cool to see.”

The Sexton’s are enjoying their second trip to the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race. Their first — last year’s festival — was planned on a whim. But after two enjoyable year’s Bill said he and Ali will make Natchez an annual father-daughter journey.

“Of course you’re a little disappointed when the balloons don’t fly,” he said. “But everything else — the people, the festival — have been so nice, the balloons are just the icing on the cake.”

Ali, an eighth-grader and Desoto Central Middle School, said her friends back home weren’t having near as much fun as she was in Natchez. She, like her dad, felt lucky to get such a great view of the day’s only ballooning.

“I got a pretty good video of it on my phone,” she said.

The Sexton’s viewed the beginning of the balloon’s journey that was projected to take the pilot and one passenger over downtown Natchez for a landing near the former International Paper site.

During the pilot briefing before the afternoon flight Meteorologist Ernest Ethridge relayed a message the pilots already knew — it was windy.

“We’ve got strong winds at the present,” he said.

But not wanting to only be the bearer of bad news, Ethridge said conditions should be better tomorrow.

“Here’s some good news,” he told the tent full of 62 pilots, “Stick around for in the morning.”

Weather reports indicate that a surface high-pressure system will locate between Natchez and Monroe, La., causing northwest winds in the lower levels of the sky, Ethridge said.

Today’s morning flight is scheduled for 7 a.m. An afternoon flight is scheduled for 4 p.m. All flights are weather permitting.

The festival grounds at the Rosalie Bicentennial Gardens open at 11 a.m. with the first musical act, Paula Nelson Band, taking the stage at 1 p.m.

The Sunday headliner, country artist Rhett Atkins is scheduled to perform at 4:15 p.m.

Admission to tomorrow’s festival is $10 for adults and $5 for children over the age of 6.