2022-08-28 10:47:30
For Marlene Perry of Lincoln, the city’s annual hot air balloon display has been a part of her family’s life since the event’s inception in 1988.
She loves watching the beauty of the balloons floating in the sky and has shared the experience with friends and family over the years, having brought her now grown son to the event in his early years.
“(It’s) just so different than anything else that happens here in the summer,” Perry said. “They’re big, they’re beautiful, kids love them, parents love to see their kids enjoy them, you can take rides, they come back in the evening and do the glow and it helps the town. We’re going out to dinner after we’re done here.”
While the event has changed significantly from its original form, Balloons over 66 – formerly the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival – remains a staple of summer in Lincoln. As the event has evolved, so has the number of different events held near the balloon launches – which include a barbecue competition, a vintage car show, the DockDogsthe Lincoln Art Fair and even a morning 5K run.
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Alice Roate, executive director of the Logan County Tourism Bureau, was excited about everything coming together as planned for the big weekend. She praised the hard work of organizers who made sure everyone enjoyed their time, whether it was at one of the four launch sites or in the city center at one of the many events.
“We have a lot of different committee members and everyone is involved in everything,” said Roate. “But we all come together and work together. It wouldn’t be possible without that great group of people who were able to work together and put it on over the last few months.”
She was impressed with the weekend’s turnout, not just downtown with big crowds, but for the balloon launches, including Saturday’s bright-and-early launch.
“I was surprised at how many people were up (so early),” Roate said. “Even downtown it stayed pretty busy, even in the afternoon where it gets a little hot (and) people go home. The crowds kept up and it was great.”
There was more than enough that was new, including inflatables for children and families to play on in the city center, but the big attraction remains the balloons. Roate said 36 different balloons were launched this weekend at the four sites — Mayfair Park, Dugan Center, Eighth Street and Campus View Drive — and she had the chance to go up and get a beautiful, bird’s-eye view of Lincoln. get from one launched. at the Dugan Center.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been in a balloon, so it was really exciting,” Roate said. “The town looked so small, which is so interesting because right now, when you’re on the ground, it looks big. But when you’re in a balloon, the courthouse looks like a quarter. It was so cool go up there, not just to be that high up, but to see the other hot air balloons that are going up.”
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The balloon pilots came from places as far away as Albuquerque and Pennsylvania, but had plenty of local flavor, with Realtor and former mayor Seth Goodman leading the charge. Launching his watermelon balloon from Eighth Street, Goodman reflected on what it took for him and the rest of the community to save the event in 2019, after the previous organizers – the Lincoln-Logan County Chamber of Commerce – collapsed.
“It’s always been a big deal in Lincoln — people look forward to it,” Goodman said. “When it went away, there was a lot of negativity and anger because it was a really good thing for Lincoln. Not only did it give our people something to do, but it brought a lot of people to the area. To me, it meant a lot to bring it back, because not only as a pilot, but also as a citizen and a spectator, I wouldn’t want it to go away.”
So far, Goodman and his fellow citizens’ gamble has been a success, now in its fourth year. He brings a great passion for hot air ballooning to the event, something he wants to share with the citizens along with a dash of barbecue and art.
“It’s great,” Goodman said. “I like to share the excitement and enjoyment I have with hot air ballooning and to see so many people look forward to it and take it in, it’s really a wonderful thing.”
Hot air balloons
Hot air balloons, from right to left, Wild Rover, Tentai the Sequel and Heaven Bond fire their burners at Mayfair Park in Lincoln on Saturday 27 August 2022.
Thomas J. Turney, State Journal Register
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