LEWISTON — The Lewiston-Auburn Balloon Festival turned a small profit in 2024, and organizers are prepping for next year by monitoring guest feedback in order to improve the experience, and are continuing talks about how the festival can transition to a private entity again.

City officials in Lewiston, which together with Auburn took over the festival this year after the Great Falls Balloon Festival board decided to pull out of the operation, said the balloon festival was a success despite a tight window for gaining sponsorships and putting together other logistics. Adding to the ups and downs was a festival weekend that only saw one balloon launch.

However, a financial report issued by the city said the effort turned a profit of nearly $25,000 after raising about $100,000 in sponsorships. It also raised about $76,000 in revenue for nonprofit vendors.

Nate Libby, assistant director of economic and community development, said heading into next year, there have already been discussions on how to make the festival as successful as possible, but whether that’s the city or the Great Falls Balloon Festival board — or a partnership — remains to be seen. Libby said more concrete talks with the city councils in both cities will likely take place soon.

“In the spring, we committed to taking it on this year, and the hope is that it can transition to a private entity next year,” he said.

But, he said, most of the balloon festival board members the city talked to in the spring have now resigned, and the two entities talked about working together in 2025 but “nothing concrete” has been agreed upon yet.

Deb Leonard, president of the Great Falls Balloon Festival board, could not be reached Wednesday, but Leonard told CBS13 recently that they’re “hoping to do the festival next year,” but are currently working to build up a board of directors.

Libby said in the meantime, the two cities are looking at feedback from the festival in order to “set up whoever is running next year for success,” with the needed marketing, fundraising and volunteers.

He said they saw evidence that broadening the marketing of the event to the entire New England region paid off. Through parking and attendance information, many guests were from out of state, which Libby said is a “big part of the economic argument for holding this event.”

“Raising the money to market the event is important to carry on,” he said.

Libby said organizers also heard positive feedback about the high-quality musical entertainment that took place over the weekend.

But, Libby said the feedback also makes it apparent that they could do better to explain to the public what conditions have to be in place in order to do successful balloon launches. Only one launch occurred due to various weather issues. Libby said there could be 5 mph winds on the ground but with 20 mph winds at the altitude balloons would be, launches can often be grounded.

He said some suggested the festival could introduce other aerial entertainment for the long gaps between morning and evening launches, with ideas ranging from hang-gliders to an airshow.

After the cities proposed to take on this year’s festival, former mayors Mark Cayer and Jason Levesque were tapped to lead the sponsorship effort. The city also received a $60,000 grant from the Maine Office of Tourism, which proved to be a key portion of the festival’s funding.

Libby said as of Wednesday, the city had received $87,576 in sponsorship funds, with $12,500 remaining to be paid. (The preliminary financial report from a week prior shows slightly less.)

When reached Wednesday, Mayor Carl Sheline said city staff and volunteers did “a phenomenal job of fundraising and stewarding the balloon festival this year.”

“Their hard work and dedication speaks to the importance of the balloon festival to our community and residents,” he said.