An Uplifting Experience : Balloon Festival--With a Wild Mix of Characters--Is a Crowd Pleaser

Held aloft on his dad’s shoulders, 5-year-old Alex Blakeman claimed one of the best seats in the house at the first Smith’s Festival of Ballooning on Saturday morning.

From his perch, he watched cartoon character Tony the Tiger slowly come to life as a fan inflated the beast’s gigantic nylon body.

“He wanted me to go and ask where the Frosted Flakes were,” said the boy’s mother, Terry, who stood with other fans of the Kellogg’s cereal mascot.

But even the most avid groupies can get distracted when 61 hot-air balloons start taking fantastic shape. “Mommy, look,” Alex commanded, pointing toward a purple dragon.

The tiger and dragon competed for attention with a rabbit, a stork, a bag full of groceries, a hot dog with mustard and a bottle of champagne.

Each creation drew exclamations and sometimes applause from several thousand onlookers who gathered soon after sunrise in an open field in Tustin. They came by car, bicycle, roller skates and on foot to see what was billed as the largest balloon festival in California.

The balloon launchings were originally scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m., but were delayed about 45 minutes because light winds were blowing directly into the landing approach at nearby John Wayne Airport. Ultimately, the winds shifted and the balloons were allowed to fly.

As each balloon took off with its crew and guests, people ran to capture the excitement with cameras and camcorders.

“It brings out the child in us,” said Rick Slinkard, 37, of Silverado Canyon.

“If there is one word to describe it, it is ‘awesome,’ ” said his girlfriend, Cindy LaChance, 35, also from Silverado Canyon.

Josie Ochoa, 46, who came with co-workers from the Santa Ana Unified School District, said, “I gave up sleep this morning and I am so glad. It is so beautiful. There is nothing like this.”

Vern Von Helms, 81, said she also had trouble rising at 5:30 a.m. at her Leisure World home in Laguna Hills, especially since she had been up late the night before hosting a party.

“I didn’t think I could make it. But I did,” said Helms, who was accompanied by her children and three grandchildren. “I think this is tremendous,” she added with a smile.

As the balloons took flight, they filled the sky with color and seemed to barely move in the calm air.

“There is very little wind anywhere here today, which is perfect because the balloons hang around longer and are seen by the crowd,” said festival director John Korff.

However, one of the largest balloons, the dragon, couldn’t catch a favorable wind and landed barely across the street from the festival, its neck visible among the trees as if in some primeval forest.

Dale Wong, the balloon coordinator for the event, said an important purpose of this initial festival--which continues today with various exhibits, entertainment and two more balloon launchings--was to introduce ballooning to Orange County on a large scale and allay any fears about the inflatables breaking loose and causing damage.

Residents of Tustin apparently have been won over, Wong said. One of the ballooners was invited to land by homeowners who were having a block party in honor of the event. “It was an offer he said he couldn’t refuse,” Wong said. “They offered him brunch and champagne.”