See what Patient First is doing in the community.
Thousands of people were looking to the skies in the fields of Delta, Pennsylvania this weekend. It wasn't because of some crop circle phenomena, but because of the Chesapeake Bay Hot Air Balloon Festival.
Typically held on Maryland's eastern shore, this year the event was scheduled to be held in Bel Air, Maryland. Just 11 days before the event however, that location was no longer deemed viable by the Harford County Government. So, like any baloon pilot knows, an alternate landing site had to be found, and found fast. Fortunately, the Mason-Dixon Fairgrounds just a dozen miles to the north provided a safe haven for this year's event.
Despite the sudden change of venue, tens of thousands turned out for this weekend long event. The vendor fair played host to our table and tent, where people from both PA and MD came by to collect our giveaway items, and tells us how much the appreciated the work our staff does, and the professionalism with which they do it.
In addition to the awe-inspiring sights of the balloon ascension and tethered rides, there was also live music featured throughout the afternoon, an inflatable playground for the kids, truck racing on a huge dirt track, and a whole host of vendors and food trucks to satisfy patrons of every taste.
Balloon festivals are always very vulnerable to changing weather conditions, and this one was particularly so. The threat of a severe storm, coupled with high winds forced the cancellation of Friday evening's balloon glow. All of Saturday's balloon related events, fortunately, went off without a hitch.
It will be interesting to see if next year's festival will return to it's eastern shore roots, or if it will find another location in 2024. Watch this space....