LINCOLN, Ill. (WAND) - Balloons Over 66 Weekend announced Tuesday that it will discontinue the balloon portion of its event.

The organization said in a Facebook post that the move was made because of a lack of "consistent support" and "financial backing" needed to fly the balloons.

The other weekend festivities will continue as planned. 

"While we know many will miss the balloons, we remain committed to creating a meaningful and memorable weekend for our community," the organization said in the post. 

Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch posted a long statement to Facebook stating: 

"I want to take a few minutes to address the recent news that the balloon portion of the Balloons Over 66 event has been canceled for this year. When you think about it, that sounds bad in itself—a balloon event without balloons. As a lifelong resident, Mayor of Lincoln, someone who has crewed for numerous pilots, and now a hot air balloon owner and pilot-in-training myself, I agree that this is disappointing news.

Before I talk specifically about the balloons, I want to remind everyone that Balloons Over 66 is much more than just balloons. Numerous organizations and dedicated volunteers work year-round to plan and organize their parts of this event.

This includes Up In Smoke on the Square, which spearheads the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) competition, DockDogs, and downtown entertainment; the Lincoln Art Institute, which hosts the Art Fair; the Oasis Senior Center, which coordinates the Vendor Show and pilot breakfast; the Lincoln Park District, which organizes the 5K Race and Kids Fun Runs; and this year, the Railsplitter Festival will also be part of the event weekend.

I know I am leaving out many others who work tirelessly to make this event possible so I want to sincerely thank every person who contributes their time, passion, and commitment—especially at a time when finding volunteers is more challenging than ever. To learn more about all of the activities taking place during the weekend, please follow the Balloons Over 66 Facebook page for updates and information.

Now, let's talk about the balloon portion of the event.

A little history: the balloon festival began around 1988 as an addition to the local art show and was known as the Art and Balloon Festival. It quickly became a tremendous success, drawing visitors from near and far. Unfortunately, the event came to an end in 2017 when the Chamber of Commerce closed its doors due to financial difficulties. While I know that remains a topic of discussion in our community, I won't go down that rabbit hole today.

In the years that followed, several passionate individuals attempted to revive the festival, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Then, in 2019, former Lincoln Mayor, business owner, and hot air balloon pilot Seth Goodman took the initiative and enlisted the help of others to bring the event back to life. Since then, Balloons Over 66 has continued to grow and evolve, becoming one of the largest hot air balloon events in Illinois thanks to the addition of numerous activities and attractions.

Let's also talk about the financial reality.

Every organization involved spends thousands of dollars to make its portion of the event happen. For the sake of this discussion, I will focus only on the balloon component.

As Seth Goodman recently shared, he has personally invested well over $100,000 to keep the balloon portion of the event going over the past several years. The typical annual cost for a balloon event of this size is around $30,000. Those expenses include pilot lodging, propane for every balloon throughout the weekend, meals for pilots and crews, welcome packages, and what is commonly referred to as "show-up money."

This additional compensation helps offset fuel costs, vehicle wear and tear, and crew expenses. It is also important to recognize that every hour flown during an event contributes to the lifespan of the balloon itself. Hot air balloons have a finite service life, and the repeated heating and cooling of the envelope gradually deteriorates the fabric until replacement becomes necessary.

Since joining the City Council in 2016, I have known that the City of Lincoln has traditionally budgeted funding for this event. The amount has varied over the years but was typically around $2,000.

During the COVID pandemic, I asked the council to increase that amount to $15,000 annually for three years to help ensure the event could continue during a time when many businesses were struggling simply to keep their doors open, let alone sponsor community events. It is also important to note that similar support was provided to other components of this event, as well as the Railsplitter Festival.

Then there is the issue of liability, which, from an organizer's perspective, may be the greatest concern of all.

Yes, every pilot carries insurance on their balloon. However, event organizers ultimately bear responsibility for spectator safety, accidents and injuries, traffic and parking issues, weather-related incidents, property damage, and countless other potential risks. Any one of these liabilities could have devastating financial consequences.

Now consider that Seth has personally assumed much of that responsibility since 2019. I know he loves Lincoln and cares deeply about this community, but nobody can blame him for not wanting to risk everything he has worked for his entire life simply to provide entertainment for others. I certainly don't.

I would also like to provide some clarity regarding tourism.

There are two separate tourism organizations operating within Logan County. The first is the Logan County Tourism Bureau, whose mission is to promote tourism throughout all Logan County communities. The second is the City of Lincoln Tourism Department, whose mission is to promote tourism specifically within the City of Lincoln.

For additional context, the City of Lincoln Tourism Department has only existed since 2025. Prior to that, the city had limited influence over what tourism initiatives would or would not receive support, as those decisions were made by an independent board.

Since the city assumed responsibility for its own tourism efforts, it has been my intention to encourage both the Tourism Department and City Council to take a more active role in supporting Balloons Over 66 for the very reasons being discussed today. I have had numerous conversations with our Tourism Director, Scott McCoy, about this. Quite simply, we did not move quickly enough, and for that, I am genuinely disappointed.

That said, I do want to offer a glimmer of hope.

Because our community is fortunate to have several local balloon pilots who fly regularly throughout the year, I believe there is a very good chance that residents and visitors will still see hot air balloons in the skies during this year's event—weather permitting, of course. Stay tuned!

I also want to sincerely thank Seth Goodman for caring enough about this community to keep the balloon portion of this event alive for as long as he has. I know it came with significant personal sacrifice, and I want him to know that those efforts have not gone unnoticed. Hopefully, this year he will finally have the opportunity to enjoy the event and simply fly without the weight of those responsibilities on his shoulders.

In closing, I know this news is disappointing. However, it has also brought attention to a conversation that has been avoided for far too long. As frustrating as the situation may be, I believe our energy at this time is better spent finding solutions than assigning blame.

There will be time later to discuss how we got here. Right now, our focus should be on working together to ensure the long-term success of this event and to make sure residents and visitors can still enjoy a great weekend this year.

I am committed to doing everything within my power to help make that happen.

Who's with me?"

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