For nearly 40 years, a summer tradition in Monroe has filled the sky while giving back to the community

MONROE, Wis. (CBS 58) — Hot air balloons may be the headline attraction, but the real heart of this festival never leaves the ground.

Long after sunset, Monroe gets one more chance to shine. Not from the moon, but from 17 hot air balloons, each waiting for its turn to light up the night.

One blast of fire and suddenly the entire field comes alive.

Then, just as quickly as it appears, the glow fades, leaving thousands of people waiting for the next balloon to steal the night.

"All the pilots hit the burner at the same time, and as the sun's going down, hitting the twilight, you get to see all these cool, colorful balloons light up,” said Nick Faessler, an event coordinator. "It's really something to see."

It is. But those few glowing minutes are only the ending to a day that's been unfolding for hours.

Summer has a familiar soundtrack here. As the band keeps playing, the kids never seem to run out of places to explore or animals to meet.

"It could be anywhere from 5,000-10,000 people [who] show up,” Faessler said.

Each moment fills the space between one balloon launch and the next.

But for all there is to see on the ground, it's what happens above it that keeps drawing people back.

Some childhood dreams fade. Jeff Trzebiatowski's learned to take flight.

"I told my parents when I was five years old that I wanted to fly a balloon,” Trzebiatowski said. “It became a childhood fascination that became a dream, that became a reality."

Now he's one of many helping carry on a Monroe tradition that's been lifting off for nearly 40 years.

"The fun thing about these events is it's kind of like a big family reunion for the balloon pilots. We've all known each other for a long time. We know each other's families. So, it's great to come together and be able to spend a weekend together with our balloon family,” Trzebiatowski said.

It's a tradition built on weather reports and patient people waiting for the wind to make up its mind.

"The surface winds were still pretty fast, gusting, as well as the winds above the surface,” Trzebiatowski said. “The rain forecast would be after our flight window."

For Faessler, the balloons have always been about more than filling the sky.

"We use this as a fundraiser to put money into the community to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Faessler said.

As one of the event organizers, he knows the weekend leaves a lasting impact long after the balloons are packed away.

"I grew up with a disabled brother,” Faessler said. “It helps people like him. It helps a lot of people in the community. It helps schools."

Eventually, day gives way to night, and the festival drifts back toward the launch field.

One by one, families settle in, waiting for the sound they've been hoping to hear all evening.

The balloons never leave the ground. They don't have to.

Even after 39 years, wonder still has a way of lighting up Monroe.