Families flock to Lisle’s Eyes to the Skies Fest

Naperville resident Becky Jenkins confessed to being a little worried as she watched her sons, Joel and Timothy, take a turn on Pharaoh’s Fury, one of the carnival rides at the Eyes to the Skies Festival in Lisle.

“I was scared of those rides as a kid, so that colors my feelings,” she said Sunday. “But the boys love it, and it is fun to see them so happy. So whenever there’s an event like this close to home, we try to get to it.”

Lisle’s 29th annual summer festival came to a close Sunday with sunny and comfortable weather, a pronounced change from Saturday’s sticky heat. In addition to the carnival, festival goers enjoyed munching on food at one of two food courts, listening to live music, or browsing in the craft-vendor area. A fireworks display was scheduled at the end of the day.

Then, of course, there was the signature event of the festival — the daily launch of more than 20 hot-air balloons into the sky.

The festival took place at Lisle Community Park. Organizers predicted that between 40,000 and 45,000 visitors would attend on each of the festival’s three days.

The Eyes to the Skies Committee, the group that organizes the event each year, expanded the children’s area this year in an effort to attract more families. On Sunday, parents said they appreciated the effort.

“There is a nice family feel to this — my kids loved the log rolling,” said Kathi Taylorson of Lisle, referring to The All-American Lumberjack Show, one of the many activities in the children’s area.

John Terry of Wheaton praised another aspect of the festival — the live music. He said he loved seeing local band Vinyl Jacket do a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.”

“They did a nice job on one of my favorite songs,” he said.