Hot-Air Balloon Companies Hold Festival This Weekend

Hot air balloons moved out of the courtrooms and back into the skies over the Coachella Valley today, as balloonists celebrated the end of a strange legal challenge that had grounded them.

A ``Return to the Skies Event'' began today at 6 a.m. in Indio and will continue through the weekend. The festival was to feature morning and evening hot-air balloon rides, an evening night glow, a polo match and the grand opening of the Firehouse at the Cantina, according to organizer Denni Barrett.

Barrett is owner of Temecula-based Magical Adventure Balloon Rides, which operates in the Coachella Valley. His was one of more than a dozen hot air balloon tour companies that were effectively grounded by a barrage of lawsuits filed by the owners of a fortified olive farm south of Indio.

The farm's owners claimed the balloonists were trespassing by flying over their farm, which is surrounded by a wall and high-security measures.

The FAA backed the balloonists' rights to fly near the farm, but the farmowners broadened their lawsuits and effectively ended the once-frequent operations of a flotilla of colorful balloons that flew tourists on calm winter days across the skies from Palm Springs to Indio. After the Desert Sun newspaper ran a series of investigative reports about the lawsuits, the olive farm dropped them. The local hot-air balloon companies lost their effort this week to be reimbursed for more than $337,000 in legal costs.

"We weren't asking for damages, just reimbursement of our legal expenses,'' Barrett said. He said it was ``frustrating and expensive'' for his family. Today's event, marking the return of the balloonists, is at the Eldorado Polo Club, 50950 Madison St., Indio. Everyone is invited, Barrett said. Reservations for balloon rides this weekend can be obtained by calling (760) 641-6741 or by visiting www.hotairfun.com, according to Barrett.