Organizers seek direction for future Eyes festivals

Every summer thousands flock to Lisle's Eyes to the Skies festival to watch hot air balloon launches, listen to music, enjoy carnival rides, munch on food and be entertained by exhibits and shows.

But what do Eyes to the Skies-goers like most about the four- or five-day event held over Independence Day? What do they like least? How would they like to see the festival improved?

The Fourth of July Committee that organizes the annual party would like to know.

Toward that end, they're giving area residents until the end of January to pick up a survey at a number of Lisle locations or download a copy from the Web site at eyestotheskiesfestival.com to make their opinions known.

The committee plans to compile the results in February and use them in planning this year's festival, to run July 3-6, Chairman Wayne Dunham said.

"Based on the 27 years we've been doing it, people seem to like it," Dunham said. "(But) we could make fundamental changes if people think it's a good idea."

Dunham said organizers decided to conduct their first-ever survey after the expanded and energized Fourth of July Committee suggested it.

The survey was put together by Ryan Ronayne, a Lisle college student and marketing major who worked as an intern with the committee last summer.

Ronayne said last year was his first behind-the-scenes look at the festival he attended with his family while growing up.

"You don't get much information from the customers while you're at the festival," he said. "I think this will help us get a good perspective on what the community thinks."

The two-page survey asks participants to rate a number of the festival's featured activities, along with the parking, shuttle buses, toilets and directional signage.

The surveys may be picked up at the park district community center, library, village hall, Old Second Bank on Ogden Avenue, MB Financial Bank in College Square, Lisle Savings Bank on Maple Avenue and Main Street, plus the 7 Eleven, Park National Bank and LaSalle Bank on Main Street in downtown Lisle. Completed surveys may be dropped off at the same locations or faxed to (630) 963-4137.

Dunham said anyone who has attended the festival is welcome to fill out a survey.

"We would love to have people from all over," he said. "Eighty percent of our attendance is from outside the community."