LEWISTON — Big horns. Tall socks. Sharp-looking hats. Nope, not the attire of Imari and the Sahara Desert Dancers, but the Oktoberfest German Band. Both acts took to the stage in Lewiston during the Great Falls Balloon Festival on Saturday night. With the evening balloon launch canceled due to concerns about high winds and potential […]

Michele Lever of Auburn kayaks along the Androscoggin River during the Great Falls Balloon Festival on Saturday morning. Lever was one of twenty paddlers who attended the first trip of the Great Falls Paddling Society. Jonathan LaBonte, the executive director of the Androscoggin Land Trust, led the group’s maiden voyage from the Little Androscoggin River […]

LEWISTON — Periodic showers and thunderstorms are not expected to make this weekend a washout, National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Hayes said Thursday from his office in Gray. That’s good news for the Great Falls Balloon Festival this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hayes said Lewiston could get rain late Friday, but it looks like it […]

LEWISTON — For the first time in the 16-year history of the Great Falls Balloon Festival, those attending will be asked to donate money to ensure it breaks even. Volunteers wearing safety vests and holding canisters will take donations at the gates of the Simard/Payne Memorial Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Festival treasurer Mell […]

LEWISTON — A local census awareness campaign will kick off with a booth this weekend at the Great Falls Balloon Festival. Members of the L/A Complete Count Committee will set up a booth at the festival, handing out information about the census, as well as trinkets. The federal government performs the national census every 10 […]

LEWISTON – The Great Falls Balloon Festival was 0-for-2 Friday as both the morning and afternoon launches were called off because of almost every kind of bad weather but sleet and snow. Early Friday fog held the balloons down. Things seemed to be getting better with some sun as the day went on. But late […]

LEWISTON – According to the National Weather Service, a spotty weekend forecast should allow some balloon launchings, with the most optimistic outlook during the day Friday. Weather should also allow the Great Falls Balloon Festival to proceed as scheduled Saturday morning, but rain may interfere with the schedule Saturday night into Sunday morning. NWS meteorologist […]