Balloonists prepare for Antelope Island event

NORTH SALT LAKE — Anticipation turned into shouts Monday morning as Kent Barnes turned on his industrial fan.

The burst of air began inflating his hot-air balloon, nicknamed BelleStar, which had been lying slack and flat on the ground, stretching 70 feet along the grass field.

The force of the fan's wind shaped the balloon's envelope as Barnes' volunteer ground crew pulled at the airtight ripstop nylon fabric.

Shouts from the 670 students at Orchard Elementary School then turned to cheers as Barnes fired his burners — each of which is 50 times as powerful as a standard home furnace — into the balloon's envelope. With a roaring whoosh, the balloon began to stand up.

Hot air rises, after all. Most people know that, but the students got to see hot air in action.

Within mere minutes, the balloon that had been lying 70 feet along the ground was standing 70 feet tall, and Barnes was ready for his first riders for tethered balloon flights for school faculty, ascending 80 feet, lingering long enough for pictures and descending.

"I've always wanted to do that," said Norma Jean Remington, assistant principal at Orchard, after her flight. "It's been a lifetime dream."

Barnes and other balloonists are visiting Davis County schools this week as a kickoff for the Antelope Island Balloon and Kite Stampede, which takes place Friday through Sunday at Antelope Island State Park.

Today, Barnes will visit Knowlton Elementary in Farmington at 9 a.m. Wednesday, he will visit Syracuse Elementary, and Thursday, he will visit Buffalo Point Elementary in Syracuse. Other balloonists will go to Heritage Elementary in Layton, Clinton Elementary in Clinton, Antelope Elementary in Clearfield, Boulton Elementary in Bountiful and Adams Elementary in Layton. All visits start shortly before or at 9 a.m.

Ballooning is Barnes' way of escaping, he said.

Since becoming instantly addicted to ballooning in 2002, Barnes has flown in Bolivia, Israel and Mexico, and he is the head balloonist, or balloonmeister, during the balloon stampede, now in its third official year.

The festival was moved up from previous years by two weeks because events have been dealt either too much wind, or rain, or both in late September, scrapping events.

For 2009, organizers have added professional kite flying to the schedule as a way of weatherproofing the event.

Attendees are invited to bring their own kites, as well.

Events get under way Friday at 5 p.m. and end each night with a balloon glow. Saturday and Sunday, balloonists will begin setting up their balloons around 7 a.m.

All events are scheduled but will be held weather-permitting.

More information is available at www.antelopeballoons.com.

If you go ...

What: Antelope Island Balloon and Kite Stampede

When: Friday, 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.-dusk

Directions: From I-15, take the Antelope Drive exit west to the island

Entry fee: $10 per vehicle

Activities: Balloon launches, tethered balloon flights, kite flying, entertainment, vendors, food

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