LEWISTON – Friday morning the parking was free all along Lincoln Street, as it typically is.

But on Friday night and Saturday, the street was full of “no parking” signs.

And the Lincoln Street parking garage, usually free on weekends, was charging $5 “donations” to park there during the festival.

Bottom line: The balloon festival is free, but if people want to park close to the Railroad Park launch site in Lewiston, it will cost them. If they don’t want to pay, they are advised to arrive earlier and plan on walking a block or two. Or, park in Auburn and take a free shuttle over.

Rick Porter, vice president of the Great Falls Balloon Festival board, explained Saturday that several nonprofit organizations are charging $5 “donations” in areas where weekend parking is usually free, in the Lincoln Street parking lot and in the garage.

Those parking donations are to help both the nonprofits and the balloon festival. “That $5 donation helps the festival. It does bring in quite a bit of money for us, which helps us pay for this year’s festival and next year’s festival,” Porter said. People may refuse to donate the $5, he said.

Last year, festival-goers were surprised to be charged “donations” to park in the garage, which prompted a number of complaints.

Lewiston Police Department Lt. Donald Mailhot said that with thousands of people in the Railroad Park, “no parking” along Lincoln Street also helps to make room for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

For festival-goers not interested in donating to park their vehicle, other city garages are open and are free, and there is plenty of free parking along city streets, Porter and Mailhot said.

Police will be ticketing cars that park in a no-parking area, Mailhot said, adding that those areas will be posted.

– Bonnie Washuk