Balloon festival canceled

Organizers of the Florida Balloon Festival, slated for Oct. 3 through Oct. 5 at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, have canceled the event.

Event organizer Brian Wiggins said he made the decision late Sunday night due, in part, to the weather.

"It's multifactorial, but the field is soaked out there," he said, adding he worried it would be difficult for the hot air balloon conductors to get in and out of the site. "It's more of circumstances."

Wiggins said he has no plans to reschedule the event at this time.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].