30 years since the Cornwall Lift-Off was established

For twenty years, the Cornwall Lift-Off has brought our community together with music and hot air balloons. As a photojournalist, I had the privilege of capturing the essence of the festival through my lens, and in 2014, I was honored to serve as the official photographer for its final event.

The banks of the river St. Lawrence and the city were filled with the bright colors of hot air balloons floating gracefully in the sky while the sound of live music filled the air. Despite the challenges, including financial difficulties from a year of heavy rain and the occasional drift of the balloon to the American side, the Cornwall Lift-Off has remained a cherished event.

Music was at the heart of the festival, bringing top talent to Cornwall. The 2014 lineup featured 54-40 Doc Walker, Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle and five-time Juno Award winners Glass Tiger. Emerging artists such as The Glorious Sons and The Devin Cuddy Band added fresh sounds, while local heroes Paul Deslauriers and the Barstool Prophets highlighted Cornwall’s musical talent.

Over the years the Cornwall Lift-Off has hosted a wide range of artists including Dean Brody, Burton Cummings, Marianas Trench, Down With Webster, Sloan, Tom Cochrane, Amanda Marshall, Theory of a Deadman, Finger Eleven, Collective Soul , Our Lady Pace and Chantal Kreviazuk (to name a few).

Although the Cornwall Lift-Off is missed, there is hope and excitement for the future. Kim Mitchell headlined Canada Day in Cornwall this year. In July, Crash Test Dummies and the Barstool Prophets will play the Cornwall Ribfest in Lamoureux Park, and April Wine will play the Aultsville Theater this fall.

The Cornwall Lift-Off may no longer grace our summer calendar, but its spirit lives on in the memories we all made. As we look forward to these upcoming concerts, we can reflect on the joy, music and community that Lift-Off has brought to our city. Here’s to hoping that one day the Cornwall Lift-Off or a similar festival might rise again, filling our hearts with music and (maybe, just maybe) our skies with balloons once more.