E-mail A Friend Tell a friend about the information found on this page by sending them an e-mail.   Your Name: Your E-mail:   Type an e-mail address, then click add: Add a Personal Message: (Optional)

October 2009 issue	In this issue Table of Contents Feature: Northern Peninsula Feature: Under one roof Feature: Irish moss The Inside Story Editor’s Notebook Reverberations À la carte Mosaic

Veteran hot-air balloonist Donald Bellini has glided in the skies over Ottawa at the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival every year since its inception in 1988. He has also manned balloons all over the globe, from France to China. “I’ve flown everywhere,” he says, “and this is just about the only place on Earth where you can fly over the nation’s capital and not be shot down.”

Held on the Labour Day weekend across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Que., the festival typically launches seven flights of a mini-armada of 70 balloons. But the balloons — some of which are crafted into amazing shapes and likenesses — are just part of the appeal. Fireworks, kites, a strongman competition, an amusement park, laser shows, singers and other performers also help draw more than 200,000 visitors annually.

For the rest of this story, visit your local newsstand or go to our store to buy this issue.

top