The birds can’t fly, so they’re bringing in hot air balloons for this year’s Ostrich Festival in Chandler. The 19-year-old fundraiser for the Chandler Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for March 9-11 at the city’s Tumbleweed Park at McQueen and Germann roads.

You can’t miss the growth and development in the East Valley — especially from the air.

Not all of the third annual Arizona Balloon Festival was “up and away.” During the balloon glow last week at the community park in Casa Grande’s Villago, about 20 hot air balloons remained tethered to the ground while pilots used burners to light them up in the evening sky.

The era of the weather balloon, both a decadesold useful scientific tool and a convenient out for government officials to explain an unidentified flying object, may be coming to an end.

Remember what it felt like to jump off the swing at its highest point? Or tuck a bath-towel cape into your shirt collar and leap from the top bunk?

You can see scores of glowing hot air balloons in both Glendale and Cave Creek this weekend — and they’re both a bit of a drive — but the second annual Cave Creek Balloon Festival is the only spot where you can watch a team of pyrotechnic-flanked skydivers leap out of a plane wearing glow-in-the-dark jumpsuits and land in the crowd. Also part of the fun are KMLE 107.9 FM radio personalities Tim and Willy, cover band The Herndon Brothers, a kids’ zone full of inflatable attractions and food and drink concessions.

You can see scores of glowing hot air balloons in both Glendale and Cave Creek this weekend — and they’re both a bit of a drive — but the second annual Cave Creek Balloon Festival is the only spot where you can watch a team of pyrotechnic-flanked skydivers leap out of a plane wearing glow-in-the-dark jumpsuits and land in the crowd. Also part of the fun are KMLE 107.9 FM radio personalities Tim and Willy, cover band The Herndon Brothers, a kids’ zone full of inflatable attractions and food and drink concessions.

If there’s one profession that keeps the antacid industry in business, it’s probably school administration.

Many communities herald autumn with school buses or Labor Day sales. In Gilbert, they watch things explode. “Chrysanthemums, crowns, peonies, diadems . . . ” says Lisa Taraborelli, listing items booked for explosion Saturday night.

Have you ever wanted to see a hot air balloon up close? Here's your chance. From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, a recruitment event at the Hilton Phoenix Chandler, 2929 W. Frye Road, will be seeking volunteers - balloon crew, hospitality, parking, first aid and more - for the inaugural Arizona Balloon Classic to be held in November.

A bright and bouncy balloon can brighten even the sourest face. Imagine what 50 gigantic ones will do.

A balloon pilot suffered a broken leg Monday evening after the aircraft made a hard landing in north Phoenix.