It's difficult not to look at a hot air balloon floating so free in the sky and not feel young at
heart, like a little kid again.   On both Saturday and Sunday morning, the early skies were
filled with colorful hot air balloons.  

Truly a beautiful way to start your day, whether you are watching the scene unfold from the ground, or whether you are experiencing a ride from the air. The 14th Annual Ogden Valley Balloon Festival welcomed more people to the Ogden Valley than ever before. Beautiful weather, excellent live entertainment, artist and vendor booths, kids' inflatable games, a Mountain Man Rendezvous, a Plein Air art competition, and of course, the hot air balloons truly made the weekend of August 15th - August 17th most memorable.

Countless families with young ones in tow participated in the fun."Just being anywhere in the Ogden Valley feels festive with so much energy floating around," said Ethan Vaughn of Huntsville. "The kids are having a ball.... they're especially enjoying the climbing wall and seeing the mountain men all dressed up."

There were two locations where the festivities took place, Wolf Creek Utah's Festival Field and Wolf Mountain. Both sites provided perfect backdrops to the events, showcasing Ogden Valley'spicturesque scenery. New to the festival, Wolf Mountain provided an outdoor stage which allowed concert goers to sit on the edge of the ski hill and take in the beautiful mountain views. The Yurt stage, also at Wolf Mountain, provided an enclosed indoor setting where solo artists and small ensembles showcased a variety of musical talent. Also at Wolf Mountain, arts and crafts booths were showcased, an antique car show, and delicious food booths were offered from diverse cultures.

Saturday morning welcomed artists from all over Utah who participated in the 3rd Annual "Plein Air" contest. The event was sponsored by Wilkerson Fine Art & Consulting and OgdenValleyMagazine.com. Artists began painting in the open air at 8:00 am and had until 3:00pm to finish and present their pieces to be judged. A Silent Auction was held and awards were announced at 5:00 pm. "The art this year was absolutely outstanding, making it very difficult for the judge..." said Kris Wilkerson. "I'm so thrilled with the beauty and talent this event brings out in the artists."

On Saturday evening at the Festival Field, the much anticipated Balloon Glow took place. It was an event to remember with the full moon rising this year. Guests counted down with enthusiasm as the balloons simultaneously lit the balloon fabric aglow against the night sky. The local band "Shades of Grey" entertained an energetic crowd as the balloon pilots wowed guests with their glowing balloons.

The festival was an overall success on many levels. The month of August will be one to look forward to year after year as the Ogden Valley Balloon Festival brings Summer to a close with flying colors.