Hot-air balloons glided over Provo's skies Thursday, kicking off a weekend of statewide celebrations of America's independence.The 14th annual three-day Balloon Fest is part of America's Freedom Festival at Provo - the state's biggest Fourth of July celebration.

The festival will conclude Saturday night at Brigham Young University's Cougar Stadium with the Stadium of Fire - a production of close to 2,000 aerial fireworks and performances by Huey Lewis & the News and the Flying Elvi.

The Grand Parade starts Saturday at 9 a.m. in Provo.

"It's like an elevator that never stops, you're just floating the whole time," said Carrie Brown, 18, of Provo. Brown was part of pilot Dave Vines' crew Thursday morning. She has been involved with ballooning since she was 6.

Thirty-four pilots and their crews arrived at Freedom Field in Provo around 6 a.m. Thursday to begin preparing for lift-off.

"This is pretty much awesome," said Vines, who is a firefighter from Loveland, Colo. He has been a hot-air pilot for 18 years and has made it a tradition for 13 years to race in Provo over the Fourth of July holiday. Vines competes in about 30 races a year in his nylon zigzag hot-air balloon named Airtrack.

Each day there is a competition called the Hare and the Hound, where pilots attempt to throw a plastic bag onto an "X" on the field from where they lifted off.

Pilots get two bags to throw because there are two X's on the field. On Vines' second toss, his bag landed on the "X," between 6 and 8 feet from its center. At the end of the three days, points are totaled and the winner and all the pilots receive prizes.

Vines' altitude reached 6,600 feet Thursday.

Wayne Ross, event co-chairman, said no one realizes how visual this spectator sport is. The highlight is the beauty of the ascension.

Friday and Saturday morning, Utahns are invited to watch balloons inflate, talk to pilots and observe their peaceful presence as they fly around Provo.

The Stadium of Fire begins at 8:15 p.m. Saturday. More information about the Freedom Festival is available by calling 370-8019 or by visiting the Web site at (www.freedomfestival.org).