Balloons Over 66 event starts Friday
Look for some significant changes in the balloon portions of the weekend
 

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[August 19, 2024]    The days are counting down quickly for the biggest event held in Lincoln each year, the Balloons Over 66 Weekend.

The fun will begin on Friday and will continue into Saturday for almost all activities and on Sunday for a few.

This years event will feature fresh versions of tried and true activities such as the Up in Smoke BBQ competition which has been around since before Balloons Over 66, and the annual Lincoln Public Library Buck a Bag Sale. Returning this year will be the Dock Dogs competitions on Friday and Saturday. Though newer to the event than some of the others, this is quickly becoming a much looked forward to part of the weekend. There will be food trucks lining the streets in the downtown area, the Lincoln Arts Institute Art Fair, live music on the main stage, children’s activities in Latham Park and sidewalk chalk art all around the downtown area.

A renewed event, one that used to be a mainstay but went away during covid is the kick-off party at the Lincoln Village Skilled Nursing Facility on North Kickapoo in Lincoln. The event returned to the program in 2023 and will be back again this year, held on Thursday evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Then, on Sunday, the annual Shady Car Show will take place at Memorial Park, as it has for the past several years.

And of course, there are going to be hot air balloons!

While all these things are very familiar to those who attend the event each year, the biggest changes to the weekend will be in the ballooning portion of the event.

This year, for the first time in several years, all the balloons will launch and glow in the same location on Saturday night. Open Arms Church is providing the expansive green space on their campus for the event, which is sure to be a crowd pleaser with the potential of 34 balloons glowing at the same time.

The Friday evening balloon event has been completely revamped as has the Saturday morning event.

On Friday evening, there will be a Hare & Hound race which will start from the Open Arms green space.

Local balloonist and one of the spearheads of the weekend event, Seth Goodman explained just what this race is and how it works.

Goodman himself in his City of Lincoln Balloon will be the first balloon to launch on Friday evening. His goal will be to fly to a location where he can sit down and keep his balloon inflated. Goodman will be the Hare. Once he is on the ground, it will be the job of the other balloonists – the Hounds, to seek him.

A target will be laid out close to Goodman’s balloon, and as the hounds fly over, the pilots will drop bean bags from the air, with the hopes of being the one who pitches the bag closest to the center of the target. Goodman’s long-time friend and fellow balloonist now retired, Betsy Kleiss will be on the ground “judging” the event, and noting who comes the closest to the center.

Goodman said this is a “just for fun” event where the winner will get bragging rights for the weekend. In addition, he said that there will be some trophies given out courtesy of Kathie Williams at Small Town Creations in Lincoln.

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Goodman said this is a time-consuming event, so on Friday night there will be no glo event afterward. He also cautioned that while many may want to follow the hounds, it might not be advisable. He said traffic can get very congested and could be dangerous. And, for those who want to see the balloonists drop their bean bags, the will have that opportunity on Saturday morning at Open Arms.

The Saturday morning fly-in will not be a Hare and Hound race but rather a fly-in with a target. Pilots will leave the Comfort Inn in Lincoln after their morning pilot meeting, and will go out into the community to find a lace to inflate their balloons. Their goal will be to find the right launch site so as to travel with the wind to Open Arms. There, they will again drop a bean bag hoping to bullseye the target. Once that is accomplished, the balloons may or may not set down at Open Arms.

Goodman said that with ample parking space, this will be a much safer way to watch the balloons fly over and drop their bean bags.

On Saturday evening, the launch and glo event will be about the same as it always is. The difference will be seeing all the balloons inflating and launching at approximately the same time, and of course the magnificence of seeing all of them participate in the glo at the same time.

Goodman said that Open Arms offers plenty of parking. He also believes that volunteers will be out ahead of time, helping to direct visitors. It is Goodman’s understanding that there will be an entry point, perhaps from Campus View, and an exit point from the Chapel Drive. Visitors are encouraged to pay attention to signage and the volunteers who will be directing them. It is also suggested that guests may want to bring lawn chairs just in case they end up parking further away from the launch and glow site.

The final ballooning event of the weekend will come on Sunday morning. The goal is to find a location for lift off that will allow the wind to carry the balloons over the downtown area. With all good luck, folks should be able to visit the Logan County Courthouse Square and see the beautiful balloons floating over the heart of the city.

Goodman also warned that every portion of the ballooning event will be dependent on the weather conditions. He said that to assure safety for everyone, the wind speeds should be no more than 10 mph and there can not be any precipitation within a 100-mile radius of the launch site.

The balloon schedule is as follows:

  • 6 p.m. – Friday evening Hare & Hound Race

  • 6:15 a.m. – Saturday morning fly-in to Open Arms Church

  • 6 p.m. – Saturday evening launch from Open Arms Church

  • 8 p.m. – Saturday evening glow at Open Arms Church

  • 6:15 a.m. – Sunday morning fly over, downtown Lincoln

Visit the Logan County Tourism Burean website for a complete schedule of events.

BALLOONS OVER 66 INFO! (destinationlogancountyil.com)

[Nila Smith]

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