Hundreds flocked to the Mineola Civic Center shortly before sunset Saturday to see something suspended by air.

A balloon glow capped off the day of sesquicentennial festivities dubbed Spring Fling. Five groups were hired to let kids from age one to 92 witness up close what it takes to get a hot air balloon off the ground.

Though most stayed fairly attached to terra ferma, one did go airborne several dozen feet. The appeal was in large part visual, and became a spectacle as the sun vanished behind some clouds then below the horizon.