After one successful launch on Sunday, it hasn't exactly been a bumper week for the hot air balloons parked outside Old Parliament House.
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They remained grounded on Wednesday morning due to the high winds in Canberra.
Hot air balloonist Jeffrey Vella said it had been his least successful run at the annual event, having taken part since 2001 but he said that was part of the business.
"I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground," Mr Vella said.
Optimistic for the rest of the week, he was enjoying himself despite being grounded more than he'd been airborne this week.
Event meteorologist Don Whitford said when ground winds get up to 14 km/h the balloons stay grounded.
"Tomorrow [Thursday] there's every chance we will take off. It's looking promising," Mr Whitford said.
Mr Vella said with three tonnes of air trapped in the balloon, heavy winds could spell disaster.
Ultimately Mr Whitford and flight director John Wallington make the call for the fleet to stay packed down at 6am each morning.
"They're all philosophical about it," Mr Wallington said.
"Canberra is not quite ready. We are more conservative in our flying."
Owner of Poffertjes, a Dutch pancake food truck, Troy Klep kept his shop running despite near-empy fields.
When the balloons flew, Mr Klep and his son, Will, worked under a spectacle.
"People are happy to line up with the balloons overhead," Troy said.
It obviously hadn't deterred Bec Henderson who was there with her housemate Nick Thornton and her dog George.
"We said let's go for pancakes and coffee," Ms Henderson said, the three of them coming to meet friends.
"We're going to try tomorrow," she said.
"That's the weather," hot air balloonist Tim Steiner said, sitting with his wife Kylie and children, Hugo, Joel and Orlando as the sun rose.
Mr Steiner said it was good to catch up with fellow balloonists, some only seeing each other once a year.
