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Hot Air Balloons Decorate Craig

by KREX News Room
by Courtney Griffin

Story Created: Aug 4, 2012 at 6:23 PM MDT

Story Updated: Aug 5, 2012 at 11:39 AM MDT

MOFFAT COUNTY, Colo.- Moffat County held its second hot air balloon festival at Loudy Park in Craig this weekend, along with a barbecue cook-off competition.

For the past 10 years, pilot Kent Barnes of Utah has seen the world in a very unique way, and he continues to travel all over the globe with a few of his closest friends. "It's a small population, and we all know each other, so it's more like a family," said Barnes.

As colorful airships lifted up, so did the community's morale. "This brings everybody out," said Julie Hanna, a local resident. Pilots say the same. "We really enjoy this. It's a ball, we have more fun with this than you could imagine," said Barnes.

Many people are involved and work up a sweat to get the 70-foot tall and 65-foot wide Bellestar up in the air. The Bellestar is the name Barnes gives to his air balloon. "We'll only go if the conditions are great because there's a saying where it's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air then in the air wishing you were on the ground," said Barnes.

The Moffat County festival also brings some tasty best of the west barbecue to Craig. "We're enjoying it. We were out here early this morning and we will taste barbecue later," said Julie Hannah, a local resident.

There was also a cook-off competition where the winner could win up to $3,000. "I mean these guys compete all over the states and then they come down here and we get to compete against them, so it's cool," said Darren Wilde, cook-off competitor and owner of Flying W Barbecue.

Creative capsules, sauced up meat and a lot of fun made for a great day for everyone. "Could we ask for a better day? This weather is so good," said Hanna.

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