Commissioners approve pavilion use for lantern festival at county complex

Bannock County commissioners on Oct. 26 approved a use request from an event organizer to return a floating lantern festival and related pavilion rental at the county complex.

The county’s event manager, Scott Crowther, described the lantern festival and a separate activity called “Randy’s tumbling” as well-received by the public. "The first year I was a little bit ... skeptical about this, but it turned out to be a great event. People love it," Crowther said.

Randy Bybee, identified as the organizer, told the board the lanterns used for the festival float on water and that some types disintegrate. "If you order the ones that ... they're like made out of rice paper ... it just disintegrates. So it's ... biodegrade," Bybee said when asked about what happens to sky lanterns.

Commissioners pressed organizers about safety. One commissioner expressed past concern about sky lanterns catching fire near power lines; organizers said their event uses floating lanterns on the lake, not airborne sky lanterns, and they do not plan to release hot-air lanterns this year because of wind and fire risk. Crowther also noted event volunteers help clean the site after the festival.

A motion to approve the use request was made and carried with the board voting in favor. No fee waiver was requested; the organizer will pay the pavilion rental fee.

Commission staff did not provide additional permit conditions on the record at the meeting. Organizers and county staff said they would continue existing cleanup practices following the events.

Ending: The pavilion use was approved and organizers may proceed with planning for the upcoming festival dates; staff and commissioners discussed safety and cleanup but did not record further conditions on the public record.