The Shawnee horizon was more colorful than usual this weekend as dozens of hot air balloons took flight for the FireLake Fireflight Festival.

The FireLake Festival presented by Citizen Potawatomi Nation has continued to grow since Vice Chairman Linda Capp’s original vision of having a hot-air balloon festival open to the public at no cost.

The festival expanded its list of activities this year, adding a drone show, helicopter and camel rides, and “Touch a Truck,” which allowed children to get up close to emergency vehicles.

The event has attracted thousands of visitors in the past with musicians such as Cam Allen, artisan vendors, and a hunting and fishing show.

Kelly Francen, the Director of Employee Engagement at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, said the festival’s benefits ripple through the community. It draws people to the tribe’s restaurants and hotels and to other businesses in Shawnee.

Attendees do not have to pay for admission or parking for the festival. Francen said that means the event doesn’t turn a profit, but making money is not the goal.

“I think that we all have the opportunity to learn and grow from one another and just get a deeper understanding of our neighbors and what each neighbor offers,” Francen said. “Whether it be the Citizen Potawatomi Nation as a tribe, the city of Shawnee, or the town of Tecumseh, everyone offers a very special, unique niche. And to bring all those together, we just enhance the lives of everybody.”

There are no signs of stopping the festival any time soon, according to Francen. In fact, she said the balloon committee is wondering whether they have outgrown their space at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Powwow Grounds.