ONEONTA _ The skies over Neahwa Park are expected to fill with hot air balloons this weekend for the first edition of what could become an annual event.
The three-day balloon festival is designed to help highlight the city's centennial and will run in conjunction with the Taste of Oneonta event in Neahwa Park between 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday.
The Taste of Oneonta involves several vendors, including Brooks' House of Bar-B-Q, live music, complimentary horse-drawn wagon rides and Mike the Juggler. It will be capped by an "evening glow" of 10 balloons, according to Centennial Committee co-chairman Kevin Herrick.
Foothills Performing Arts Center will be the site for live music, with the center's house band and competitors in the Ultimate Idol contest expected to perform, Herrick said.
Balloon flights for the public will occur Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night and Sunday morning, weather permitting.
If the balloons are unable to fly, the Taste of Oneonta event will continue in the park as scheduled.
The highlight of the weekend should be the evening glow Saturday by tethered, illuminated balloons beginning at about 8 p.m. or a little after, Herrick said.
"It should be really impressive," Herrick said.
In addition to the balloons taking passengers on flights, there will be two shaped balloons, Herrick said.
A Statue of Liberty head will be sponsored by Five Star Subaru, and a birthday cake will be sponsored by Wilber National Bank.
The weekend festival is one of a series of events being held this year to celebrate the signing of legislation 100 years ago incorporating Oneonta as a city.
The launch times for the balloons will be 6:30 a.m. for morning flights and 6 p.m. for evening flights. It takes about 30 minutes to inflate the balloons, and Herrick said the inflations are fun to watch.
Rides of approximately one hour in duration are available from several balloon pilots for $200 each. There is no cost for the Taste of Oneonta event or to watch the balloons take off.
"Each of the pilots is FAA-licensed," Herrick said.
Those seeking more information on how to reserve a flight may visit www.oneonta100.com.
"You go where the wind takes you," said Michael Ranieri of Catskill Mountain Balloon, who is helping to organize the festival.
Chase trucks will follow the balloons, which will be packed up and returned to the park after they land.
It is hoped a balloon festival can become an annual event, Ranieri said.
"It's just a beautiful thing for the area," Ranieri said. "When you have a valley, it's perfect for ballooning."
The National Weather Service on Wednesday was calling for a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms Friday night; a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms during the day Saturday; partly cloudy conditions Saturday night; and mostly sunny conditions Sunday.
"We'll see what happens," Herrick said.
Neahwa Park will be closed to thru traffic from 3 to 9 p.m., but parking will be available near Damaschke Field.
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