Art, Wind and Fire Festival to be held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6-7, in Macomb

MACOMB, Ill. — Unforgettable Forgottonia’s Art, Wind and Fire Festival weekend, held annually in Macomb, features three signature events — the 53rd Gazebo Art Festival, the annual YFC Disc Golf Tournament and the 36th annual Macomb Hot Air Balloon Rally — on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6 and 7.

The Gazebo Art Festival takes place in historic Chandler Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The art festival will offer a juried art sale showcasing dozens of incredible regional artists exhibiting exceptional original artworks in glass art, painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry, woodworking ceramics, fiber, art prints and more.

Visitors can see live demonstrations of glass blowing, weaving and pottery wheel throwing. The yearly Friends of the Library Book Sale and a community art project and children’s activities including sidewalk chalk drawing and rock painting, are set for Saturday. The event is free and all works will be on sale to the public. Details at www.facebook.com/GazeboArtFestival.

The Macomb YFC Open Mystery Challenge Disc Golf Tournament is open to the public and tees off at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Macomb Park District’s Everwood Disc Course and WIU’s Sipolt Memorial Course. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The entry fee is $40 per player with all funds raised directly benefiting youth in our community. Find more details and register at https://www.yfcwi.org/macomb-yfc-open-2023

The annual balloon rally, which began in 1987, will open at 6 p.m. on Friday. This year’s theme reflects Macomb’s sensational new national attraction Macombopoly, featuring a giant Mr. Monopoly hot air balloon.

Patrons can enjoy food trucks, beverages and live music as they watch more than 20 giant hot-air balloons lift off and fly out from Vince Grady Field on the campus of WIU. Beginning again at 6 p.m., after the Western Illinois University football game at Vince Grady Field, enjoy fare from regional food trucks and listen to live music while viewing a field of towering hot-air balloons. As the sun sets, the pilots fire things up for the unforgettable spectacle that is “The Balloon Glow.”

Learn more at www.facebook.com/MacombBalloonRally.

A free screening of the PBS television special documentary “More Than Monopoly: The Story of Lizzie Magie,” filmed entirely in Macomb, will be shown at 6 p.m. in the Tri-State Public Radio studios at 320 W. University.