I promise I will stop gushing about the Hipstamatic one of these days. Really, I will. But not yet. What is it about these photos? Don’t get me wrong — I was pleased with what I took of the balloons with my Canon. But I’m in love with these. These are less about the beauty of the festival and more about the vibe. Families poured into this perfect, intimate lakeside setting in the tiniest of towns. Blankets, lawn chairs, crafts, music, funnel cakes, and of course, balloons. Hundreds of awestruck children wandered around with their eyes fixed upward and their jaws downward. I was so happy to share in the magic. And I’m so happy to have these photos to look back on.