Balloon rally heating up for fall Angela Bauer FacebookTwitterEmail Balloons light up the night sky in September in Macomb during the Macomb Balloon Rally’s drive-through balloon glow. Organizers of the event, which was scaled back in 2020 because of pandemic restrictions, are hoping this year’s event can go on as usual. MACOMB — The Macomb Balloon Rally committee is moving ahead with plans for a full event in September. The rally was scaled back this past September after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions limited the event’s ability to host crowds. Still, a drive-through balloon glow attracted a steady flow of cars and donations to the event’s charities, the Western Illinois University Food Pantry and McDonough County Humane Society.