Few Balloons Took Flight, but Spirits Soared at L/A Balloon Festival 2024

This year's L//A Balloon Festival was more than we could have ever imagined. At first, we weren't sure it was even going to happen, but the folks of Lewiston/Auburn banded together and put on a weekend like none that came before.

We didn't have many balloons taking flight, but spirits soared as an estimated 133,000 peopl attended this year.

I was honored to be your humble servant and emcee for the Saturday and Sunday festivities at the Main Stage. So I had front row seats to the excitement of the event.

Trying to count how many folks visited is a bit of a challenge without a tracker. But this year, organizers relied on nonprofit food sales as a proxy.

Sales were up by about a third compared to last year. Historically, the festival has attracted around 100,000 people, but this year, organizers relied on nonprofit food sales as a proxy! About 133,000 people came this year, so it's very obvious the festival was well-attended, with large crowds on Friday and Saturday nights and a strong turnout on Sunday afternoon!

Nearly $170,000 was raised in sponsorships, while nonprofit vendors grossed close to $140,000 in sales! WOW!

Big thanks to the incredible sponsors and individuals who helped make this festival happen this year!

Many of these nonprofits reported that this year was either their best or second-best year, despite the windy weather!

Let's talk weather. Yes, it was quite windy over the weekend, so the balloons didn’t take flight much during their morning and evening launches.

But despite this, the crowd showed up in abundance! It's funny, because the only cities that can have a successful balloon festival without many air balloons taking the sky are Lewiston/Auburn, baby. Now that's saying something!

Live music was on point, with so many great bands taking the stage. We had the iconic Motor Booty Affair perform on Saturday night to thousands in the audience. That was the first time I witnessed their funky greatness.

Other bands included Denny Breau, Cross Hair, Camp of Rock, Bazinga, Jody Boys, and Julia Gagnon.

A few of my favorite live acts were Aerial Jade, Juggling with Jason, the Square Dancers of Maine, and a live demonstration by Lewiston Officer Avery and his K9 partner, Payne, on how to detect drugs in an unmarked car!

I was asked to try flying in the air on the silks with Aerial Jade, and I have to say that the circus may be a viable career path for me!

The vendors had everything imaginable, from Maine-made crafts to portraits, jewelry, and more.

The standout highlight for me was experiencing the vibrant spirit of Lewiston. The hardworking people of these Twin Cities bring events like this to life.

I also had the chance to meet Mayor Carl Sheline in person for the first time, and he's down-to-earth and truly embodies the spirit of being a mayor for the people!

A huge thank-you to everyone who made this event possible. It was a memorable experience for all of us, and I can't wait until next year!