I spent this hot August afternoon in the open fields here in Baton Rouge for the 2008 Pennington Hot Air Balloon Championship. We spent a few hours before the race running from the sun and chasing the shadows of the trees. We lolled through the kids' play field sipping melted snowcones and eating nachos.

There was a petting zoo, gigantic blow up slides, a water ballon fighting ring, basketball hoops, tattoos and face painting, and so much more. Sponge Bob was even amusing himself there. Well, not in a bad way of course!

In the evening, we made our way back to the balloon target field where numerous pilots were lining up for the race. Even a few parachuters droped in to see the action. What a spectacular sight to see the colorful balloons filling up all at once. I must have taken a hundred pictures, but here are just a couple I'll share.