The Metro New York Balloon Fest is starting up and this morning is the media morning, bringing balloons and cameras together. So, at 5:30 in the morning, we arrive in a sleepy little town at the local airport (Brookhaven Calabro Airport) to shake things up. Oh yeah, here's the website: New York Metro Balloon Fest

But first, the lead up to this morning. An insight, if you will, of what goes on behind the scenes....

What does Balloonmeister Bill Whidden do in the days leading up to the big event? We get him to work in our screen-printing shop!

Trish Whidden is the Chief Folder and quality control.

No worries when Pilot Harry is on the job. Of course, a Lighthouse is supposed to be VERTICAL!!!

This seems to be the problem. These guys are holding it down.

Yep, they are indeed doing a good job.

But they are NO match for Harry's burners

Barry and Mark. It seems they are exchanging "A ____ walks into a bar" jokes.

A view from the old show "Time Tunnel"

That is the second biggest Shamrock I have ever seen!

The Jack-in-the-Box seems happy. I wonder if he delivered any hamburgers.

Shamrock=Good Luck for Irish

Lighthouse=Good luck for Sailors

Time to put Flighthouse away and take a nap.