Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?
 Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
 We could float among the stars together, you and I
 

For we can fly, we can fly
 Up, up and away
 My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
 

The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
 It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
 We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
 

For we can fly, we can fly

Jimmy Webb's classic pop tune "Up, Up and Away" made popular by the Fifth Dimension five decades ago could easily have been the soundtrack at Sandy Creek Nature Center on Saturday when the Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Division hosted its second annual Above Athens Balloon Festival.

More than one thousand people flocked to the nature center to admire and even take tethered rides in the brightly colored gas-powered balloons.

Festival-goers had the opportunity to learn about the balloons from their owners, who came from all over Georgia for the event.

They also got to enjoy live music and local food.