YPSILANTI, MI - Les Heddle believes there's something special in the air for the revamped Ypsilanti Heritage Festival that could make the annual summer event better than ever.

After two years of trimming down the festival's budget to pay off its debts and build up reserves behind the efforts of a half dozen volunteers, this year's festival is aiming to bring back the fun elements of festivals past, Heddle said, with a number of new and returning activities.

Two new major attractions for this year's festival, which takes place from Friday, Aug. 25 through Sunday, Aug. 27 at Riverside Park, are helicopter and tethered balloon rides held at Frog Island. The rides - $20 for helicopter rides and $15 for balloon rides - are intended to bring a fun element back to the festival that has been missing in recent years, Heddle said.

Heddle was joined by Scott Virgo in continuing the annual summer tradition that nearly died in February, when its Board of Directors decided to end it during its meeting. This was despite paying off all of its debt over the past two years after it had lost roughly $6,000 in 2013 and $8,800 in 2012, prior to owing the city around $13,000 in a shortfall after the 2015 festival.

The festival's board, which has since increased to 14 members, and a steering committee have help attract between 70 and 80 volunteers to help increase the quality of the events being put on throughout the weekend. In addition, the festival's Public Relations Chair Katy Riley said the board has raised more than $50,000 through sponsorships for this year's festival and has managed to keep within its budget.

"When Scott and I first talked about bringing this festival back, one of the things we agreed on was it was missing more and more of the fun aspects," Heddle said. "There's a serendipity that fills the air with the balloon and helicopter rides that are also going to draw a lot of attention being in the air all weekend."

In addition to the rides providing a bird's eye view up to 100 feet above the city, the festival is bringing back its beer tent that will include entertainment throughout each of the three days. Six entertainment stages are provided throughout the festival venue, including the Ring of Steel action theatre and stunt troupe, which performs its brand Cirque du Soleil-esque acrobatics.

Overall, it has been quite a turnaround since the board's February meeting, Riley said, leaving festival organizers optimistic about the future.

"Our steering committee has put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this year's festival trying to make it better, and our biggest hope is that people come out to see the improvements and enjoy themselves," she said. "We want this to be a fun, family event that people look forward to again."

The festival extends beyond its tents and Riverside Park into Depot Town, where Tiny Buddha is hosting free yoga sessions at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday at 19 E. Cross St.

It also gives those in attendance at chance to learn about Ypsilanti's history through the new Magical History Tour, which provides free bus tours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. The tour has stops at Ypsilanti's Parkridge Summer Festival, downtown Ypsilanti restaurants, the Ypsilanti Historical Museum, Michigan Firehouse Museum and Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, with the entire tour going in a half-hour loop, Heddle said.

For children, the bounce house obstacle course returns, with admission decreasing from $10 last year to a more affordable $4, Riley said.

The old standby fundraisers that have been a part of the festival throughout its 39-year history include are back, as well, including the First United Methodist Church Italian Dinner on Friday night, Sunday morning's pancake breakfast and the Kiwanis Club's Rubber Ducky Race at 5 p.m. on Sunday to close out the festival.

Virgo noted the festival also features a health tent, featuring 23 different health organizations collaborating to provide information and services available, including cholesterol testing.

All of this has been made possible through securing sponsorships, Riley said, including its presenting sponsor Cueter Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, as well as volunteer support.

"We have managed to get some amazing sponsors this year from some of the local businesses in our community and we have had some amazing support from the City of Ypsilanti which has been great," Riley said. "We are very grateful for all of our sponsors this year no matter how big or small, it's nice to have the support of local companies."

Heddle expects this year's festival to put behind its recent financial woes with increased attendance and entertainment, giving organizers plenty to look forward to in the future that appears to be much brighter than it seemed even a few months back.

"We wanted to make this festival fun and something that would make people want to come," Heddle said. "We've got a lot of younger people under the age of 40 involved in the planning to make this both more fiscally responsible and a festival we can build on into the future."

For more information on the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival, including times and locations of events, visit its website. The festival is free to attend, with optional charges for rides, beer and food.