The Adirondack Balloon Festival kicked off in Glens Falls Thursday evening. The event, which runs through Sunday, will feature more than 90 balloons, including some special animal shapes debuting this year.

Emily Russell'A magical experience' - Adirondack Balloon Festival kicks off in Glens Falls

Mark Donahue is President of the Adirondack Balloon Festival's Board of Directors. Donahue spent the week promoting the annual event at local nursing homes and schools like South Glens Falls High School, where they inflated four balloons for more than 500 students.

This weekend's event is free and open to the public and attracts upwards of 150,000 people to the region each year. Donahue says it's really special event for people of all ages.

"When you see these nylon bags come to life and become almost living creatures as balloons, it brings out the kid in everybody."

Balloon pilots come from all over the world to take part in the Adirondack Balloon Festival. Erin Coker is on the festival's Board of Directors and says there are pilots coming from Japan, Great Britain, and Brazil.

Mark Donahue is a balloon pilot, himself and saying flying over the North Country is really special.

"It's a magical experience to be in an open-air basket in the sky looking at the incredible terrain and the landscape of the Adirondacks."

The Adirondack Balloon Festival kicks off at Crandall Park in Glens Falls Thursday evening. The rest of the weekend events are at Warren County Airport in Queensbury, from Friday afternoon through Sunday.