The Balloon Fest not only brings those pilots back year after year and generation after generation, but it also attracts other families who just like to watch the hot-air balloons go up. One such family, the Kendells, have been coming to the Balloon Fest with their kids and grandkids for the past six years.

Lora Kendell, 12, of Spanish Fork, said she loves seeing the balloons, and the cartoon-shaped ones are her and her cousin's favorite.

"I think it's fun, and I enjoy being with Grandma," she said.

Her grandma, Julene Kendell, said even though they come every year, the family always looks forward to going. On the way to the event, her 4-year-old grandson pointed out the window and exclaimed, "There's one!"

"It's a family tradition," Julene Kendell said. "It never loses its excitement."

The Balloon Fest continues from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. today and Saturday at Bulldog Field, 1100 N. Freedom Blvd. For more information visit www.freedomfestival.org.

E-mail: slenz@desnews.com