PHOTO GALLERY: Events succeed despite wet beginning to weekend

Looking at the flooding in Helen and White County Thursday night, many people said the 45^th-annual Helen to the Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race wouldn’t happen.

Not only did it happen Friday, but it was the most successful race in many years.

The race begins in Helen and the finish line is Interstate 95, anywhere between Maine and Miami. The shortest distance is 225 miles and the race usually takes two days, organizers say.

This year’s coast racers lifted off at 7 a.m. Friday, 24 hours after the original launch time.

Daryl Tatum of Cumming won the race in record time, finishing in seven hours and 45 minutes when he crossed I-95 near Holly Hill, S.C.

Jonathan Wright of Albuquerque, N.M./Las Vegas, Nev., came in a close second, landing just short of I-95 to refuel when Tatum crossed the finish line.

Ballooning activities this year had to be moved back across the river from the usual festival site at Wilkins Field to locations off Edelweiss Strasse because of the week’s flooding.

While Alto didn’t have flooding this week like Helen and White County, the town in southern Habersham County had its share of rain.

But that didn’t stop the largest crowd in the Alto Spring Fling and Parade’s 15-year history from coming out for a day of fun.

Blue skies with only thin clouds are plentiful over a remote controlled hot air balloon in Helen.

Daryl Tatum of Cumming prepares to launch his balloon for the race to I-95.

Balloonists show the public Helen is open for business Friday morning, despite flooding that crippled the city only about 12 hours earlier.

Balloonists gather in Helen to demonstrate the hot air ballooning industry to the public.

Sunlight shines through hot air balloons in Helen on Friday.

A remote controlled hot air balloon makes its way across the launch field in Helen on Friday.

Daryl Tatum of Cumming, right, won this year's 45th-annual Helen to the Atlantic Hot Air Balloon Race in record time. Jonathan Wright, left, placed a close second.

The sun shines on the Town of Alto's 15th-annual Spring Fling Parade and Festival on Saturday.

Titus Moss and Heaven's Rhythm perform Gospel music at Saturday's Alto Spring Fling Parade and Festival.

Tractors, antique cars and other parade entries pass the grounds of Alto Town Hall Saturday morning.

Festival-goers check out the vendors at Saturday's Alto Spring Fling Parade and Festival.

The Town of Alto welcomes visitors to the 15th-annual Spring Fling Parade and Festival.

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