By Peter Covino
Lifestyles Editor

The Kissimmee International Balloon Festival of Festivals, a festival announced earlier this year promising more than 50 hot air balloons and many other attractions in Osceola County has been grounded — at least for now.

According to the event organizers Facebook page, “because of recent developments and opportunities” the event has been postponed until June 2013.

Organizers had not returned phone calls or emails from the Osceola News-Gazette as of Wednesday morning, but the Facebook page did layout much of the reasons for the postponement.

“We want this to be a wonderful and spectacular event,” said Jason Schulke,  director of business development and marketing at Orlando Balloon Rides, one of the event organizers.

“Everyone involved has worked countless hours and will continue to do so. We will deliver,” he said at the Facebook site.

Schulke said the event organizers have been approached and presented with some several great opportunities that will give the festival a better chance to make its first year, a good one.

“That will give us the chance to make year one unbelievable and to the scale it needs to be,” he said.

Organizers launched the balloon event with much fanfare earlier this year at Formosa Gardens off of U.S. Highway 192 in the county.

Along with dozens of hot air balloons, the multi-day festival, scheduled for late September, was to include music, skydiving, a margarita contest and more.

And all of that will still happen, according to the website.

“Over the next 30 days we will be conducting strategy meetings with new partnerships,” Schulke said. “The vision has grown and the dreams are becoming more true.”

Schulke also apologized at the Facebook site for the delay.

“Please don’t loose faith and hope but stay tuned for some exciting information. Again, please know we are sincerely sorry for any inconveniences…all monies have or will be refunded.”

The festival sponsors include the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce.