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Lincoln's Art and Balloon Festival Up And Coming Central Illinois Event

The annual Art and Balloon Festival is set for Aug. 24-26 in Lincoln, IL.

The festival will include an art fair, hot air balloons, carnival rides, live music, BBQ cook off, large kite demonstration and an antique car show. Executive Director of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Andi Hake says there's a little something for everyone at the festival.

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Hake says the festival started out as just an art fair and expanded from there. The artists use to put a few hot air balloons around the courthouse downtown, now knowing it is not safe they moved the balloons out of town to the airport. Hake feels the festival goal is have everyone downtown for the fair during the day, and then out to the airport at night to view the hot air balloons.

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The balloon part of the Art and Balloon Festival allows festival goers to ride in a hot air balloon. For a full ride in a hot air balloon, it must be reserved before hand and it costs $250. Hake says for this year's festival there are only a few spots left. She adds people can do tethered balloon rides, which is a hot air balloon tied to the ground that can lift six people at a time up and look over the airport grounds and surrounding neighborhoods.   

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Hake points out that some years they can't send people up in the balloons due to weather restriction. She says if the wind speed is too high, they can't send the balloons up into the air. They are at the mercy of mother nature.

To make the festival happen and be the up and coming festival of central Illinois, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers. Hake says it takes about 600 volunteers to make the festival fully functioning. She says volunteers get a wristband to enter the festival for the entire weekend, but do have to pay parking for parking.

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For more information on how to volunteer or for a full schedule of events, visit lincolnillinois.com or call 217-732-2385.

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