LAKE SKINNER -- The weather was clear, calm and not too hot Saturday -- the first weekend day of the 25th annual Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival -- which had those who like to gaze skyward, at hot air balloons or beyond, thanking their lucky stars.

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Saturday's early morning launch of more than 40 bright balloons went off without a hitch, observers said. The popular festival has grown over the last 2 1/2 decades into a major regional event that was expected to draw 50,000 visitors and locals to Lake Skinner east of Temecula.

"It was gorgeous," said Maria Guiliano, the festival's volunteer coordinator. "And it looks like everyone was having a really good time. People were here waiting at the gate at 5:30 this morning."

The event kicked off Friday, with the Balloon Glow. Several thousand people attended that popular event, Guiliano said. The evening also featured a wide array of local wines and Friday night concerts on two stages by country music star Blake Shelton, rock stalwart John Waite and the Mt. San Jacinto Junior College, Menifee Jazz Band.

Two UC Irvine graduate students were among those awed by the annual event.

Liz Chiarello and Venky Krishnamani said they came to Temecula to visit a fellow graduate student, Danielle Rudes. They headed out to the Balloon Glow on Friday and participated in an early morning balloon ride Saturday.

Chiarello said she was glad they finally took Rudes up on the invitation to visit. Krishnamani said they have no hot air balloons he is aware of in his native Madras, India. He said he was struck by the "surreal" sight from the colors of the balloons and flames Friday night, set against the dark blue sky at sunset.

Chiarello said she had always wanted to go up in a balloon.

"It was phenomenal; magical," she said. "It was like being in a fantasy, a whole other world. We were up there with about 40 other balloons, just floating."

Down on the grassy festival grounds, a wealth of other activities await festival goers, including a "Kids Faire" area with rides and other attractions. For older teens, there were motocross and other performances and adults could hit the wine tasting area near the Wine Stage or shop at one of many vendor booths.

Those manning the booths offered an array of information and others offered wares for sale, including crafts, art, clothing, jewelry, furniture and all manner of goods. Besides a balloon launch and wine garden near the festival entrance, the smell of foods from down home and far away wafted into the air. Farther from the entrance was the main stage, one of two concert locations, and another balloon launch area.

Other participants came from as far afield as Europe, via plane, tour bus or automobile, to hop a ride on a balloon, drink wine, hear music, shop and eat.

Pilot Aaron Schwartz flew his wife, K.D., 1-year-old son Skye, and his parents down from Monterey for the day in his Cessna 182. The group ended up volunteering to help Pat Murphy of Reach for the Stars with tethered balloon rides. Murphy had modified the balloons to accommodate those with physical disabilities.

Another group, the Davies family of Wales, said they were planning to go hot air ballooning at home, but had decided it would be better to do it while "on holiday."

Adrian Davies, 42, said he found out about the Temecula festival online, and he went up in a balloon at dawn Saturday with his wife, Alison, daughter, Cerianne and son, Stephen.

"It was sort of fantastic," he said. "We went over trees and the lake and had a perfect landing, really."

By mid-morning, hundreds of attendees were milling about under a bright blue sky, beside golden-yellow hills that still had a few wildflowers and some greenery alongside them.

Patti Nicassio of Simi Valley said she was having fun and that wine was her primary motivator to come down to Temecula, which she says she has heard is the "up-and-coming Napa."

Lisa Broddle, 58, said she flew to town from Jacksonville, Fla., to enjoy the balloons and the wine. She was excited at the photos she was able to snap on the clear morning and looked forward to some champagne later on, she said.

"They told us they couldn't go up last year, due to the weather," she said. "So we got real lucky and saw them go up and got lots of pictures."

Another couple came to the festival via a tour bus, from West Covina, and said they woke up at 4 a.m. to arrive at Lake Skinner by 6:30 a.m.

But it was worth it, they said, as Saturday was Frank Offenstein's birthday.

Offenstein was born 86 years ago, at home on a horse ranch in Wichita, he said. He was born about dawn too, he said, about 6:30 a.m., "or so I was told."

To celebrate, the World War II Navy vet had a ride in a hot air balloon, which was tethered in the main grassy quad area of the festival grounds, and floated up real nicely and not too far, he said.

They even sang "Happy Birthday," Offenstein said.

"It's been really great," he said. "I've enjoyed every minute of it. It's well-organized."

Contact staff writer Cathy Redfern at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2621, or credfern@californian.com.

Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival

The event continues all day Sunday

- Highlights: Key events Sunday include the balloon launch from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m., weather permitting. Motocross and other shows, concerts, wine tasting, shopping and food are availablel all weekend.

- Festival hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

- Tickets: $15, children ages 7 to 12 are $5 and those 6 and younger get in free. Tickets are available at the gate, at some Vons stores and online at www.TVBWF.com.