Being full of hot air is not always a bad thing. There’s nothing like watching a summer sky dotted with rainbow-hued balloons to awaken a childlike sense of wonder.

Founded in 1984 with just a smattering of hot-air balloons, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival’s Balloon Classic Invitational/ Jackson-Belden Food Fest is an annual treat that keeps expanding.

More than 70 balloons participated in the Balloon Classic in 2007, including ones shaped as a piggy bank and a football. Balloon pilots compete for cash prizes in various events of tricky maneuvering.

Paired with the Jackson-Belden Food Fest on the grounds of Kent State University Stark Campus, the Balloon Classic will kick off at sunset July 25. Tethered to the ground, the balloons are filled with propane, causing them to glow brightly. Musical accompaniment creates a special effect.

Balloon flights are scheduled for 6 a.m. July 26 and 27, and the evening of July 26, when the flight is a prelude to a fireworks show choreographed to music. Flights are weather permitting.

The Food Fest offers live music, food and beverages, and a children’s area. Parking is available in Kent Stark lots off Frank Avenue NW.