David Senn, Randy White, and Ed Dumas of ARL/ATDD participated in the 2009 Pellissippi State Community College Balloon Festival, September 25-26, in Knoxville, TN. Despite a gloomy weather forecast and ominous clouds, the 6th annual hot-air balloon festival was able to be held on Friday evening, September 25. ARL/ATDD’s booth included NOAA brochures dealing with weather related safety issues; e.g., hurricanes, severe weather, and lightning, as well as promotional stress relievers, soda “coozies”, and cloth bags. Two rawinsonde balloon launches were performed to demonstrate how atmospheric temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and wind speed and wind direction are measured from an ascending helium balloon and were well received by the public. A “volunteer” from the crowd assisted with each launch. Although scheduled for two days, Saturday’s event was canceled due to rain.