Hot air balloon festivals are held annually in many places throughout the year, allowing hot air balloons operators to gather- as well as for the general public- to participate in various activities. They can include races; evening "night glows", or "glowdeos" (in the US), in which balloons are fired while remaining tethered to the ground; and rides.
List
editFestival | City | Country | Year started |
Year ended | When held | Official website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival | Queensbury, New York | United States | 1973 | Mid to late September | [1] | |
Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic | Decatur, Alabama | United States | 1977 | [2] | ||
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta | Albuquerque, New Mexico | United States | 1972 | First full week in October including both adjacent weekends | [3] | |
All Ohio Balloon Festival | Marysville, Ohio | United States | 1975 | Second or third weekend of August | [4] | |
Araku Balloon Festival | Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh | India | 2017 | [5] | ||
Arizona's SalsaFest Balloon Festival | Safford, Arizona | United States | 2008 | [6] | ||
Ashland Ballonfest | Ashland, Ohio | United States | 1990 | [7] | ||
Atlantic Balloon Fiesta | Sussex, New Brunswick | Canada | 1985 | [8] | ||
Balaton Crossing International Hot Air Balloon Competition and Fiesta | Siófok | Hungary | 2004 | May | [9] | |
Ballonfiësta Barneveld | Barneveld | Netherlands | 1983 | [10] (Dutch) | ||
Ballonhappening Waregem | Waregem | Belgium | 1999 | [11] | ||
Balloons, Bikes, Blues and Barbeque | Parsons, Kansas | United States | 2009 | 2016 | Third Weekend in October | [1] |
Balloons over Waikato | Hamilton, North Island | New Zealand | 1999 | [12] | ||
Balloons over Wairarapa | Wairarapa, North Island | New Zealand | 1999 | [13] | ||
Blossom Time Balloon Festival | Chagrin Falls, Ohio | United States | 1988 | [14] | ||
Bluegrass Balloon Festival | Louisville, Kentucky | United States | 1999 | [15] | ||
Bluff Balloon Festival | Bluff, Utah | United States | 1998 | [16] | ||
Breda Balloon Fiësta | Breda | Netherlands | 1986 | [17] | ||
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta | Bristol | United Kingdom | 1979 | [18] | ||
Canberra Balloon Spectacular | Canberra | Australia | 1987 | [19] | ||
Cedar City Sky Festival | Cedar City, Utah | United States | 2005 | 3rd weekend in September | [20] | |
BalloonFest | Centralia, Illinois | United States | 1990 | 3rd weekend in August | [21] | |
Colorado Balloon Classic | Colorado Springs, Colorado | United States | 1977 | Labor Day weekend in September | [22] | |
Colorado River Crossing Balloon Festival | Yuma, Arizona | United States | 1990 | [23] | ||
Creston Hot Air Balloon Days | Creston, Iowa | United States | 1978 | 3rd weekend in September | ||
Delta Air Balloon Festival | Greenville, Mississippi | United States | — | [24] | ||
Dolomiti Balloonfestival | Toblach | Italy | 2003 | [25] | ||
European Balloon Festival | Igualada, Catalonia | Spain | 1997 | First fortnight of July | [26] | |
European Hot Air Balloon Championships | Varies | Europe | 1992 | [27] | ||
Exclusive Cup | Berkeley | United Kingdom | 2008 | [28] | ||
Eyes to the Skies Festival | Lisle, Illinois | United States | 1981 | 2008 | [29] | |
Eyes to the Sky Balloon Festival | Salina, Utah | United States | 2007 | Third weekend in June | [30] | |
Ferrara Balloons Festival | Ferrara | Italy | 2005 | [31] (Italian) | ||
Festival Internacional de Balonismo de Torres | Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | 1989 | Late April | [32] (Portuguese) | |
Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival | Battle Creek, Michigan | United States | 1980 | [33] | ||
Freedom Weekend Aloft | Simpsonville, South Carolina | United States | 1982 | [34] | ||
Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival | Gatineau, Quebec | Canada | 1988 | Labor Day Weekend | [35] | |
Gordon Bennett Cup gas balloon race | Varies | Varies | 1906 | Hosted by country of the race winner two years prior. | [36] | |
Great Falls Balloon Festival | Lewiston / Auburn, Maine | United States | 1992 | [37] | ||
Great Forest Park Balloon Race | Saint Louis, Missouri | United States | 1973 | [38] | ||
Great Midwest Balloon Fest | Kansas | United States | 2010 | 2015 | Held in Kansas City, Missouri in 2016 as Rhythm 'n Balloons before shutting down. No flights occurred. | [2] |
Great Northern Balloon Festival & Air Show | Greenville, New York | United States | 1998 | 2003 | [3] | |
Great Pershing Balloon Derby | Brookfield, Missouri | United States | 1977 | [39] | ||
Great Reno Balloon Race | Reno, Nevada | United States | 1981 | [40] | ||
Great Texas Balloon Race | Longview, Texas | United States | 1977 | [41] | ||
Great Wellsville Balloon Rally | Wellsville, New York | United States | 1975 | [42] | ||
Guanajuato International Air Balloon Festival | León, Guanajuato | Mexico | 2002 | In November, the weekend of the Mexican revolution holiday. It is also the Buen Fin. | [43] | |
Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair | Lake Havasu City, Arizona | United States | 2011 | The third weekend in January | [44] | |
Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race | Helen, Georgia | United States | 1974 | [45] | ||
High Hopes Hot Air Balloon Festival | Milford, New Hampshire | United States | 1986 | 2006 | [46] | |
Hokkaido Balloon Festival | Kamishihoro, Hokkaido | Japan | 1973 | [47] | ||
Hot Air Jubilee | Jackson, Michigan | United States | 1984 | [48] | ||
Huff 'n' Puff | Topeka, Kansas | United States | 1976 | Second weekend of September | [49] | |
International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Château-d'Oex | Château-d'Œx | Switzerland | 1979 | [50] | ||
International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Gilboa | Well of Harod | Israel | 2009 | August | [51] (Hebrew) | |
International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec | Canada | 1984 | [52] | ||
International Balloon Grand Prix Todi | Todi, Umbria | Italy | 1988 | |||
Irish National Hot Air Ballooning Championship | Varies | Ireland | 1971 | Referred to as 'The Irish Meet' the Irish Championship is the longest running ballooning event in the world. | [53] | |
Jupiter Flights Balloon Festival | Fishers, Indiana | United States | 2021 | Early September. | [54] | |
Kinsmen Cornwall Lift Off | Cornwall, Ontario | Canada | 1994 | 2014 | [55] | |
Kiwanis Balloonfest | Valparaiso, Indiana | United States | 1991 | [56] | ||
Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest | White Pine, Tennessee | United States | 2019 | [57] | ||
London International Hot Air Balloon Festival | London, Ontario | Canada | 1983 | 2007 | [58] | |
Longleat Icons Of The Sky | Warminster | United Kingdom | 2024 | [59] | ||
Grand Est Mondial Air Balloon | Chambley-Bussières Air Base, Lorraine | France | 1989 | 2023 | End of July. Once every 2 years. | [60] |
Macomb Balloon Rally | Macomb, Illinois | United States | 1987 | Second Weekend of September | [61] | |
Mansfield Balloon Festival | Mansfield, Victoria | Australia | 1995 | |||
Meetjeslandse Balloonmeeting | Eeklo | Belgium | 1986 | [62] | ||
Metro NY Balloon & Music Festival | Shirley, New York | United States | 2007 | 2008 | [63] | |
Michigan Challenge Balloonfest | Howell, Michigan | United States | 1985 | [64] | ||
Mid-Hudson Valley Balloon Festival | Poughkeepsie, New York | United States | 1992 | |||
Midlands Air Festival | Alcester | United Kingdom | 2018 | [65] | ||
Midwest SkyFest | Kentland, Indiana | United States | 2010 | July | [66] | |
Montpelier Bean Days Balloon Festival | Montpelier, Ohio | United States | 2014 | July | [67] | |
National Balloon Classic | Indianola, Iowa | United States | 1969 | First week of August | [68] | |
National Balloon Rally (Carolina BalloonFest) | Statesville, North Carolina | United States | 1974 | Third weekend in October | [69] | |
New York State Festival of Balloons | Dansville, New York | United States | 1981 | [70] | ||
Northampton Balloon Festival | Northampton | United Kingdom | 1990 | [71] | ||
Northwest Art and Air Festival | Albany, Oregon | United States | 2000 | [72] | ||
Northwest Connecticut Balloon Festival | Connecticut | United States | 1995 | 2004 | [73] | |
Northwest Georgia Hot-Air Balloon Festival | Summerville, Georgia | United States | 2008 | [74] [75] | ||
Piscataquis Heritage Hot Air Balloon Festival | Dover-Foxcroft, Maine | United States | 2013 | [76] | ||
Ojiya Hot Air Balloon Festival | Ojiya, Niigata | Japan | 1977 | February | [77](Japanese) | |
Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival | Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, Tennessee | United States | 2004 | 2010 | [78] | |
Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta | George Town, Penang | Malaysia | 2015 | February | [79] | |
Pennington Balloon Championship | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | United States | 1980s | [80] | ||
Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta | Angeles City | Philippines | 1994 | 2nd week of February | [81] | |
Plano Balloon Festival | Plano, Texas | United States | 1980 | [82] | ||
Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta | Putrajaya | Malaysia | 2009 | |||
Qatar Balloon Festival | Doha | Qatar | 2019 | [83] | ||
Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning | Readington Township, New Jersey | United States | 1983 | Third week of July | [84] | |
Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft and Music Festival | Quechee, Vermont | United States | 1979 | Father's Day Weekend | [85] | |
Raduno Internazionale dell'Epifania | Mondovì | Italy | 1988 | First week of January | [86] (Italian) | |
Ravenna Balloon A-Fair | Ravenna, Ohio | United States | 1979 | [87] | ||
RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival | Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas | United States | 1993 | [88] | ||
Saga International Balloon Fiesta | Saga, Saga | Japan | 1980 | [89] | ||
Sandy City Balloon Festival | Sandy, Utah | United States | 2006 | First weekend in August | [90] | |
Sandy Valley Balloon Festival | Sandy Valley, Nevada | United States | 1999 | [91] | ||
Saxonia International Balloon Fiesta | Leipzig | Germany | 1995 | 2015 | [92] | |
Sierra Vista Festival of Color | Sierra Vista, Arizona | United States | 1989 | [93] | ||
Singha Park Chiangrai Balloon Fiesta | Chiangrai | Thailand | 2019 | November | [94] | |
Singha Park ChiangRai International Balloon Fiesta | Chiangrai | Thailand | 2019 | Valentine in February | [95] | |
Sky Safari | Longleat, Wiltshire | United Kingdom | 2016 | [96] | ||
Strathaven Balloon Festival | Strathaven, South Lanarkshire | United Kingdom | 1999 | [97] | ||
Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally | Binghamton, New York | United States | 1985 | [98] | ||
Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic | Boise, Idaho | United States | 1991 | [99] | ||
St. Patty's Day Balloon Rallye | Los Lunas, New Mexico | United States | 1984 | [100] | ||
Suncook Valley Balloon Rally | Pittsfield, New Hampshire | United States | 1981 | First weekend in August | [101] | |
Sunflower Balloon Fest | Anthony, Kansas | United States | 1998 | Mother's Day Weekend (2nd Weekend in May) | [102] | |
Sweetheart Balloon Rally | Loveland, Colorado | United States | 2007 | Last weekend in August | [103] | |
Taiwan Balloon Festival | Taitung | Taiwan | 2011 | Summer | [104] (Chinese) | |
Tamil Nadu International Balloon Festival | Pollachi, Tamil Nadu | India | 2015 | Jan 13-16 Pongal Holidays | [105] | |
Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival | Temecula, California | United States | 1984 | [106] | ||
Thailand International Balloon Festival | Ayutthaya | Thailand | 2007 | [107] | ||
Tigard Festival of Balloons | Tigard, Oregon | United States | 1984 | June | [108] | |
The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race | Natchez, Mississippi | United States | 1986 | [109] | ||
The Great Prosser Balloon Rally | Prosser, Washington | United States | 1990 | [110] | ||
Thunderbird Balloon Classic | Glendale, Arizona | United States | 1975 | 2006 | [111] | |
Thurston Classic | Meadville, Pennsylvania | United States | 1988 | [112] | ||
Tiverton Balloon Festival | Tiverton, Devon | United Kingdom | 1988 | [113] | ||
University Motors Mountaineer Balloon Festival | Morgantown, West Virginia | United States | 1985 | [114] | ||
U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship | Varies | United States | 1963 | [115] | ||
Velikie Luki International Balloon Meet | Velikiye Luki | Russia | 1996 | June | [116] | |
Vredefeesten | Sint-Niklaas | Belgium | 1948 | First Weekend of September | [117] (Dutch) | |
Warren County Farmers' Fair Balloon Festival | New Jersey | United States | 2000 | [118] | ||
Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade | Warstein | Germany | 1986 | [119] (German) | ||
World Hot Air Balloon Championship | Varies | Varies | 1973 | [120] | ||
Festival Internacional de Balões de Ar Quente (FIBAQ) | Alto Alentejo | Portugal | 1997 | first week of November | [121] | |
Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning | Muskogee, Oklahoma | United States | Last weekend in August | [122] | ||
Poteau Balloon Fest | Poteau, Oklahoma | United States | 3rd weekend in October | [123] | ||
Firelake Fireflight Balloon Festival | Shawnee, Oklahoma | United States | Second weekend in August | [124] | ||
Walla Walla Balloon Stampede | Walla Walla, Washington | United States | 1974 | Third weekend in September | [125] | |
Wintrop Balloon Stampede | Winthrop, Washington | United States | 1980 | First weekend in March | [126] |
Gallery
edit-
Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade (WIM), Germany
-
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (held in the city of Bristol, England), is one of the biggest festivals of its type in Europe
-
Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival
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Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the world.
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Balloons flying above the Ancient Castle of Ferrara during the Ferrara Balloon Festival
-
Grand Britannia, the Great British Balloon flying at the Mondial event in Lorraine, France
-
Mid-Hudson Valley Balloon Festival
-
European Balloon Festival in Igualada, Spain
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A "smiling sun" hot air balloon in front of the sun during the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Pampanga, Philippines
-
Night Glow at the 20º Hot Air Balloon Festival (FIBAQ) in Alter do Chão, Portugal, on 11 November 2016
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Willey, Jamie. "Annual blues festival canceled for lack of attendance". Parsons Sun. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ "Great Midwest Balloon Fest - Festival And Events". Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "greenville-ny.com/balloon.html". 10 February 2006. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006.
External links
edit- Hot air balloon festival listings - primarily North America
- Hot air balloon festival listings - primarily Europe
- Worldwide Hot air balloon festival listings
- Ballooning over Italy
- Hot Air Balloon Festival Pampanga
- Luxor International Hot Air Balloon Festival
- Hod-Hod Soliman Balloons 26th anniversary
- Winthrop Balloon Festival or Winthrop Balloon Roundup
- [127]
- [128]
- [129]
- Walla Walla Balloon Festival
- Northeast US Hot Air Balloon Festivals