The morning mass ascension of more than 100 balloons at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning was canceled Sunday, July 31, 2016.
Update: At 11 a.m. organizers of the 34th annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning announced the festival was closing because of the continued rain and flood conditions in the area.
READINGTON - The morning mass ascension of more than 100 balloons at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning was canceled Sunday morning because of lingering rain across New Jersey.
A planned 5K race was also cancelled. Earlier, organizers of North America's largest balloon festival, held each year at Solberg Airport, had stated the festival would open at 9 a.m., but, at 11 a.m., announced activities for the last day of the festival were cancelled because of continued rain and flooding in the area.
An evening mass ascension had been planned for 6:30 p.m. and John Kay & Steppenwolf with special guest Foghat were scheduled to perform Sunday afternoon.
Photos from Friday at the festival
Tickets and parking passes purchased Saturday will be honored for entry on Sunday, according to festival organizers.
Sunday's forecast calls for temperatures in the 80s and a 60-percent chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.
More photos from Friday at the festival