Updated June 2, 2026 at 4:05 PM CDT
The annual Balloons Over 66 weekend in Lincoln may no longer have balloons.
In a social media post on Monday, Seth Goodman said the hot air balloon flights he's organized for the city's signature summer festival cannot continue as-is.
"Unfortunately due to the lack of funding, liability, etc., the hot air balloon portion of the Balloons Over 66 Weekend has been canceled for 2026," he said.
Goodman told WGLT it costs $30,000 to $40,000 annually to operate and insure the balloon flights. Lincoln had its first balloon festival in 1988 and the Lincoln/Logan Chamber of Commerce ran it until 2017, when the chamber folded. Goodman and a few others picked it back up in 2019, operating about 35 balloons for the 2025 edition.
Goodman said he's invested over $100,000 of personal savings to keep the event going, but without financial and organizing support from the City of Lincoln, Logan County or a backing organization, "it's just not feasible to pay for/run solely any longer."
"I have really hoped that the city and county would get behind it more in recent years," he told WGLT. "Maybe they will now and if they do, I would still be willing to help."
Messages to Logan County Board Chair and Vice Chair James Glenn and Dale Nelson were not returned. Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch indicated he'd release a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"They've certainly known that help was needed for years," Goodman said.
Other activities that are part of the Balloons Over 66 weekend Aug. 28 and 29 will move ahead as scheduled, including Lincoln Arts Institute's annual art fair, the Dock Dogs canine diving competition and live music, vendors and street food downtown.
In a social media post, the Balloons Over 66 Weekend organizing committee said since reviving the event in 2019 it's "worked tirelessly behind the scenes securing sponsors, organizing logistics and, in many cases, personally contributing financially to keep the even affordable and enjoyable for the community. Each of us shares a deep love for this event and the memories it has created over the years."
The committee said it remains committed to "creating a meaningful and memorable weekend for our community."
2026 also marks the 100th anniversary for Route 66, which Lincoln had projected a desire to capitalize on. In 2025, the city tabbed former Pontiac mayor Scott McCoy to lead tourism in Lincoln. McCoy's track record includes investment in drawing Route 66 road-trippers to both Pontiac and Atlanta, where he also served as director of tourism while the city launched several new attractions.
In an email, McCoy said Goodman had not contacted the city's Office of Tourism.
"I first learned about his decision to cancel the balloon event when I saw it on Facebook," McCoy said, noting he had since reached out to Goodman.
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