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Hot Air Balloons To Glow Over Lincoln

Photo provided by Cathy Wilhite

Hot air balloons have dotted Illinois skies this summer at various festivals and they'll fly again this weekend over Lincoln.

NPR Illinois' Amanda Vinicky spoke about the tradition with organizer Cathy Wilhite, the President of the Logan County Alliance.

The balloons take flight in Lincoln on Friday and Saturday nights. You can watch, accompanied by a soundtrack from live bands.

Carnival rides, a variety of food and beer, petting zoo, and kite demonstrations take place throughout the day.

You can find a complete schedule at www.lincolnillinois.com.

Some features, from the Logan County Alliance:

-Thurs., August 25 at 5:30 p.m.- ribbon cutting to launch the Lincoln Balloon Festival, at the main festival gate off of Airport Road, at the Logan County Airport. Local pilots and special shape balloon, will inflate and fly (weather permitting) to give a preview of what to expect at the Festival throughout the weekend

-Band Brushville will take the stage on Sat., Aug. 27 starting at 8:30p.m.

-Early bands on Friday and Saturday have local ties to Lincoln. The lead is Mike Vargo husband of hometown girl Erin Eskra Vargo, his band Hamburg will play on Friday August 26 at 6:00 and has a set comprised of early Beatles hits guaranteed to keep you dancing and singing. To keep the energy going The Breakfast Club a high energy rock/dance 80’s tribute band will take the stage on Friday at 8:30. Mike Vargo’s other band Let Em In will take the stage on Saturday at 5:30. This band is a tribute to Paul McCartney, the show will include music spanning from The Beatles, Wings and Paul’s solo career.

-Visitors during the day on Saturday can expect the gates open two hours earlier than previous years. Now opening at 11 a.m. on Saturday the Lincoln Balloon Festival will have a kite demonstration by Chicago Kite Company. Chicago Kite is the Midwest's premier kite store serving the Chicago area and beyond for over 24 years. They will be showcasing their sport kites during the day on Saturday and offering a family kite fly and kite making starting at 11:00 on Saturday.

-The free park and ride service will be offered again to beat the $1 parking charge out at the Logan County Airport. The off-site parking will be at the Big R parking Lot on Woodlawn Road. Shuttle service will run Friday and Saturday afternoon from the Big R lot to the Logan County Airport. The shuttle service will run about every 15 minutes.

-Tether balloon rides are being offered again this year from 4:30pm to 10pm on Friday and Saturday at the rate of $20 per adult and $15 per child.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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