27th Annual NJ Balloon Festival at Readington, New Jersey

This year's New Jersey festival, which runs from Friday through Sunday at Solberg Airport in Readington, boasts many attractions, including live performances by Al Jardine (from the Beach Boys), Kool & the Gang, Michael McDonald and the Disney Channel's Meaghan Martin. But if the balloons themselves are what interest you, keep in mind there are only two opportunities each day to behold or take part in the mass ascension of 125 balloons from 22 states and three foreign countries. Takeoff occurs only when winds are lightest: at sunrise and an hour or two before sunset. If wind speed at the time of launch is more than 7 miles an hour, it is too dangerous to fly.

New special shaped balloons this year include a 100-foot-tall panda bear, a 110-foot-tall pirate, a 110-foot-tall clown, and a 52-foot round golf ball. They're scheduled to join Festival favorites the Quick Chek Fresh Farm, the PNC American Flag, the return of the Darth Vader hot air balloon, and the Energizer Bunny, the world's biggest balloon.