Festival held as part of camera club’s workshop.
By: Megan DeMarco
Spectators and photographers flocked to the Wright South property behind the Cranbury School on Saturday night to see something never before seen in Cranbury.
A few minutes before 7 p.m., they got to see what they were waiting for as a big blue hot air balloon ascended from the field with a wave from the passengers in the basket.
The first Cranbury hot air balloon festival was held as part of the Cranbury Digital Camera Club’s two-day photography workshop. Seven balloons were launched from the field Saturday night and two balloon rides launched the next morning.
Nearly 30 tickets at $225 each were sold a sellout. The balloon rides lasted a half hour to an hour each, with two to six people in each balloon.
Each balloon had its own crew and a pilot, as well as a chase crew, which followed the balloon in a vehicle. When the pilot sees a big field to land in, the chase crew helps fold up the balloon and drives the balloon and the passengers back to the Cranbury School.
Three balloons had sponsors, Rider University, H and H gas, and Rees Powell Custom Floors.
Passenger Kate Martin, a representative of the Rider College Office of Admissions, said college got involved with the festival when student and camera club member Jerry Carbone asked it to sponsor a balloon.
For helping out, Rider received one ticket for a balloon ride.
"It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity," Ms. Martin said. "You have to take advantage of it."
Other passengers said they were both nervous and excited for the balloon rides.
Fay Kobland, a member of the camera club, and her husband, John, decided to take a ride.
"It just sounds like a neat thing to do," Mr. Kobland said. "It should be a lot of fun."
Krystal Pennell, a member of the camera club and a passenger on one of the balloons, said she was excited for her first hot air balloon ride.
"I love balloons," she said. "I was one of the first people to buy a ticket."
Other members of the club stayed on the ground to take pictures.
Barb Battista joined the club in March and said it was her first time taking pictures of hot air balloons.
She said she was happy that the photographers were allowed to get so close to the balloons, something that doesn’t usually happen at other festivals.
"The festival was just 10 times more than I thought it would be," she said.
Spectators enjoyed both watching and taking pictures of the balloons as they were blown up and then launched. Sara Hornichter, a Cranbury resident, said she enjoyed the festival because it was close to home.
"It’s right in your backyard," she said. "I would come back and see this again."
Zachary Conley, 10, of Cranbury, enjoyed watching the balloons, but said he would rather be in one.
"I wish I was up in one of them," he said. "It looks really fun."
Cranbury resident Jennifer Diamond brought her 2-year-old daughter, Abby, to see the balloons.
"She loves it," Ms. Diamond said. "This is not something you see every day. It’s exciting."
Others came from outside Cranbury to see the balloons.
Audrey Roth, of Monroe, heard about the festival through her friend, Roz Rosenblum, a professional photographer.
"The colors are fabulous," Ms. Roth said. "It’s such a beautiful spot."
Ms. Roth said she would come back again next year.
"It’s a great family event," she said. "I hope they have it again."
The festival was originally intended to provide photographic opportunities for members of the club, with three balloons. However, when more interest than expected was generated, the club decided to open it up to the public, according to Tracey Thompson, a member of the camera club who organized the festival, along with Janet Paxton, president of the camera club.
"We’ve had a great turnout," Ms. Thompson said. "The photographers got a good deal out of it."
"We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend," she said.
Ms. Paxton said the camera club funded the festival.
"It’s a very expensive endeavor," she said. "But we wanted to get it started."
She said the photography workshop functioned as a fundraiser for the hot air balloon festival.
"It’s great to give the photographers this opportunity," Ms. Thompson said. "You can’t get this close at other festivals."
There was even a lecture during the day about how to take hot air balloon pictures.
The pilots were coordinated by Bob Sparks of Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights Inc. in Pennsylvania.

