Q. Can I purchase admission tickets in advance?
A. Yes, admission tickets can be purchased in advance at Jewel locations.
Q. Are coolers allowed?
A. No, coolers are not allowed. No glass or cans are allowed.
Q. Can I bring in outside food or drinks?
A. No, we do not allow any outside food or beverages into the festival.
Q. Are pets allowed?
A. Pets are not allowed unless it is a service animal.
Q. Are lawn chairs allowed?
A. Lawn chairs and blankets can be brought into the festival and used to watch balloons launches/inflations as well as all the music acts. People with lawn chairs should me mindful of the people around and behind them.
Q. Can I leave the Festival and come back that same day?
A. Yes, you can leave and have your hand stamped at the exit. This stamp will allow you to return without paying another admission.
Q. Is there an additional charge to see the musical entertainment?
A. No all musical entertainment on both stages is included in the Festival admission.
Q. Where can I park?
A. Festival parking for a fee is available at Walker Athletics and Benet Academy. The Festival provides free shuttle service from the parking areas to the Festival.
Q. I came to see the hot air balloons and/or fireworks, this was unavailable today. Can I get my admission refunded?
A. Sorry, no refunds for any reason.
Q. Are there any free admission days?
A. When the Festival date falls on the actual holiday, July 4th; Lisle residents can enter the Festival for free (with id) on July 4th until 3pm. Veterans and active military can enter the Festival for free (with ID) on July 4th.
Q. Can wheelchairs be rented at the Festival?
A. No, currently this service is not available.
Where is the lost & found?
During the festival the lost & found is located at the Headquarters Trailer in front of the Lisle Senior High School building behind the food court. After the festival the lost & found is located at the Lisle Convention and Visitors Bureau. You can reach them at 630-769-1000 to check for missing items.
Q. Are the balloons on site all day?
A. No, balloons are visible at 5:30am and 6:30pm weather permitting for launches. Balloon glows are at 8:15pm weather permitting. Click here for the schedule.
Q. Do I have to pay the admission to watch the 6:30 am balloon launch?
A. No, admission is free for the morning balloon launch.
Q. Why aren’t the balloons visible all day?
A. Hot air balloons are wind and weather dependent. The calm winds necessary for balloons are only found at sunrise and for the next 2 hours and the two hours before sunset. (when the sun is low on the horizon).
Q. Can I ride in a hot air balloon?
A. Yes, tethered rides are available at an additional cost from 6am – 9am and 6pm – 9pm each day weather permitting. Rides are on a first-come, first serve basis and can be cancelled without notice and may be curtailed by the pilot for safety reasons at any time. There are two tethered balloon rides available. Those east of the river are for individuals with disabilities. This is the Serena’s Song balloon (blue with a white handicap symbol on it). This is a wheel chair accessible balloon and is managed by the staff from SEASPAR and is free to those individuals. The other tethered ride is for the general public and is located on the balloon field.It raises up allowing you to take pictures and then comes back down.
Q. Where are the tethered rides located?
A. Tether rides are on the balloon field, just west of the creek.
Q. How long is a tethered ride?
A. 3 to 5 minutes (much like the carnival rides).
Q. How high does the tethered balloon go up?
A. Tethered ride can be anywhere between 20-80 ft depending on the winds. The pilot will make that decision at the time of the tether.
Q. How much does a tethered balloon ride cost?
A. $20 for adults and $15 for children.
Q. Can I walk onto the balloon field to see a balloon up close and talk to pilots?
A. Yes, with conditions. The field may be open to spectators depending on safety factors. Weather and balloon activities will dictate and the announcer will notify the spectators when the field is open.
Q. I only want to get into the carnival not the Festival. Do I have to pay the Festival admission?
A. No, you can enter the carnival for free. You must enter the carnival through the West Gate entrance (off the Yackley Avenue side). Carnival entrance is not permitted from the East Gate entrance.
Q. How much are carnival ride tickets and how many will I need for each ride.
A. Carnival ride tickets are $1 each and each ride takes between 3-5 tickets.
Q. Are there any discount carnival tickets available?
A. Mega Passes are available (good for all days of the carnival). Mega Passes can be purchased in advance on-line by visiting www.eyestotheskies.org or purchased at the carnival. (this is currently not available but will be again next year once all the details have been finalized).