Safety first

The perils of running, and attending, a hugely popular but weather-dependent event!
The Chester County Hot Air Balloon Festival was held at Plantation Field, at Route 82 and Green Valley Road, on June 13 and 14. The organizers had to cancel the first day's activities due to bad weather and soft grounds, and then on the second day the scheduled evening launch ("mass ascension") was cancelled at about 6 p.m. because the strong winds posed a safety risk.
Meanwhile, the hordes of people trying to get into the field on Saturday afternoon (admission was $10 per car) created a traffic jam on Route 82 that stretched all the way back to the Unionville roundabout. One woman I spoke to traveled from Lionville to meet friends at the event but got stuck in the gridlock for more than an hour; she and her boyfriend had to cut their losses and turn around because they had another event to attend. She said the person she was supposed to meet is more familiar with Unionville's back roads; wisely, he took Route 162 and then Powell Road, turning on to Green Valley Road from the north. Another friend of hers managed to get to the event but, because of the launch cancellation, she summarized the day as "essentially, a $15 funnel cake."
(I'm told the food vendors at the event had a field day, and some even ran out of food and drink.)
Nobody was second-guessing the decision to cancel the launch, but I did hear some suggestions that maybe the event's traffic management could use some tweaks.
The organizers alerted people to the cancellation on Facebook by saying, "Mother Nature is just not cooperating ... Wanted to get the word out to those waiting in traffic so you can decide if you still want to come. Thank you for your patience. We are as disappointed as you. To those already here. Thank you. Your $10 is going to a good cause!"
(According to the event's website, the beneficiaries are Downingtown West Wrestling, The Garage youth and community programs, and Plantation Field Horse Trials.)