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
| Festival | 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 | ||
| Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic | Decatur, Alabama | United States | 1977 | |||
| Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta | Albuquerque, New Mexico | United States | 1972 | First full week in October including both adjacent weekends | ||
| All Ohio Balloon Festival | Marysville, Ohio | United States | 1975 | Second or third weekend of August | ||
| Araku Balloon Festival | Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh | India | 2017 | |||
| Arizona's SalsaFest Balloon Festival | Safford, Arizona | United States | 2008 | |||
| Ashland Ballonfest | Ashland, Ohio | United States | 1990 | |||
| Atlantic Balloon Fiesta | Sussex, New Brunswick | Canada | 1985 | |||
| Balaton Crossing International Hot Air Balloon Competition and Fiesta | Siófok | Hungary | 2004 | May | ||
| Ballonfiësta Barneveld | Barneveld | Netherlands | 1983 | (Dutch) | ||
| Ballonhappening Waregem | Waregem | Belgium | 1999 | |||
| Balloons, Bikes, Blues and Barbeque | Parsons, Kansas | United States | 2009 | 2016 | Third Weekend in October | |
| Balloons over Waikato | Hamilton, North Island | New Zealand | 1999 | |||
| Balloons over Wairarapa | Wairarapa, North Island | New Zealand | 1999 | |||
| Blossom Time Balloon Festival | Chagrin Falls, Ohio | United States | 1988 | |||
| Bluegrass Balloon Festival | Louisville, Kentucky | United States | 1999 | |||
| Bluff Balloon Festival | Bluff, Utah | United States | 1998 | |||
| Breda Balloon Fiësta | Breda | Netherlands | 1986 | |||
| Bristol International Balloon Fiesta | Bristol | United Kingdom | 1979 | |||
| Canberra Balloon Spectacular | Canberra | Australia | 1987 | |||
| Cedar City Sky Festival | Cedar City, Utah | United States | 2005 | 3rd weekend in September | ||
| BalloonFest | Centralia, Illinois | United States | 1990 | 3rd weekend in August | ||
| Colorado Balloon Classic | Colorado Springs, Colorado | United States | 1977 | Labor Day weekend in September | ||
| Colorado River Crossing Balloon Festival | Yuma, Arizona | United States | 1990 | |||
| Creston Hot Air Balloon Days | Creston, Iowa | United States | 1978 | 3rd weekend in September | ||
| Delta Air Balloon Festival | Greenville, Mississippi | United States | — | |||
| Dolomiti Balloonfestival | Toblach | Italy | 2003 | |||
| European Balloon Festival | Igualada, Catalonia | Spain | 1997 | First fortnight of July | ||
| European Hot Air Balloon Championships | Varies | Europe | 1992 | |||
| Exclusive Cup | Berkeley | United Kingdom | 2008 | |||
| Eyes to the Skies Festival | Lisle, Illinois | United States | 1981 | 2008 | ||
| Eyes to the Sky Balloon Festival | Salina, Utah | United States | 2007 | Third weekend in June | ||
| Ferrara Balloons Festival | Ferrara | Italy | 2005 | (Italian) | ||
| Festival Internacional de Balonismo de Torres | Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | 1989 | Late April | (Portuguese) | |
| Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival | Battle Creek, Michigan | United States | 1980 | |||
| Freedom Weekend Aloft | Simpsonville, South Carolina | United States | 1982 | |||
| Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival | Gatineau, Quebec | Canada | 1988 | Labor Day Weekend | ||
| Gordon Bennett Cup gas balloon race | Varies | Varies | 1906 | Hosted by country of the race winner two years prior. | ||
| Great Falls Balloon Festival | Lewiston / Auburn, Maine | United States | 1992 | |||
| Great Forest Park Balloon Race | Saint Louis, Missouri | United States | 1973 | |||
| 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. | |
| Great Northern Balloon Festival & Air Show | Greenville, New York | United States | 1998 | 2003 | ||
| Great Pershing Balloon Derby | Brookfield, Missouri | United States | 1977 | |||
| Great Reno Balloon Race | Reno, Nevada | United States | 1981 | |||
| Great Texas Balloon Race | Longview, Texas | United States | 1977 | |||
| Great Wellsville Balloon Rally | Wellsville, New York | United States | 1975 | |||
| Guanajuato International Air Balloon Festival | León, Guanajuato | Mexico | 2002 | In November, the weekend of the Mexican revolution holiday. It is also the Buen Fin. | ||
| Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair | Lake Havasu City, Arizona | United States | 2011 | The third weekend in January | ||
| Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race | Helen, Georgia | United States | 1974 | |||
| High Hopes Hot Air Balloon Festival | Milford, New Hampshire | United States | 1986 | 2006 | ||
| Hokkaido Balloon Festival | Kamishihoro, Hokkaido | Japan | 1973 | |||
| Hot Air Jubilee | Jackson, Michigan | United States | 1984 | |||
| Huff 'n' Puff | Topeka, Kansas | United States | 1976 | Second weekend of September | ||
| International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Château-d'Oex | Château-d'Œx | Switzerland | 1979 | |||
| International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Gilboa | Well of Harod | Israel | 2009 | August | (Hebrew) | |
| International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec | Canada | 1984 | |||
| 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. | ||
| Jupiter Flights Balloon Festival | Fishers, Indiana | United States | 2021 | Early September. | ||
| Kinsmen Cornwall Lift Off | Cornwall, Ontario | Canada | 1994 | 2014 | ||
| Kiwanis Balloonfest | Valparaiso, Indiana | United States | 1991 | |||
| Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest | White Pine, Tennessee | United States | 2019 | |||
| London International Hot Air Balloon Festival | London, Ontario | Canada | 1983 | 2007 | ||
| Longleat Icons Of The Sky | Warminster | United Kingdom | 2024 | |||
| Grand Est Mondial Air Balloon | Chambley-Bussières Air Base, Lorraine | France | 1989 | 2023 | End of July. Once every 2 years. | |
| Macomb Balloon Rally | Macomb, Illinois | United States | 1987 | Second Weekend of September | ||
| Mansfield Balloon Festival | Mansfield, Victoria | Australia | 1995 | |||
| Meetjeslandse Balloonmeeting | Eeklo | Belgium | 1986 | |||
| Metro NY Balloon & Music Festival | Shirley, New York | United States | 2007 | 2008 | ||
| Michigan Challenge Balloonfest | Howell, Michigan | United States | 1985 | |||
| Mid-Hudson Valley Balloon Festival | Poughkeepsie, New York | United States | 1992 | |||
| Midlands Air Festival | Alcester | United Kingdom | 2018 | |||
| Midwest SkyFest | Kentland, Indiana | United States | 2010 | July | ||
| Montpelier Bean Days Balloon Festival | Montpelier, Ohio | United States | 2014 | July | ||
| National Balloon Classic | Indianola, Iowa | United States | 1969 | First week of August | ||
| National Balloon Rally (Carolina BalloonFest) | Statesville, North Carolina | United States | 1974 | Third weekend in October | ||
| New York State Festival of Balloons | Dansville, New York | United States | 1981 | |||
| Northampton Balloon Festival | Northampton | United Kingdom | 1990 | |||
| Northwest Art and Air Festival | Albany, Oregon | United States | 2000 | |||
| Northwest Connecticut Balloon Festival | Connecticut | United States | 1995 | 2004 | ||
| Northwest Georgia Hot-Air Balloon Festival | Summerville, Georgia | United States | 2008 | |||
| Piscataquis Heritage Hot Air Balloon Festival | Dover-Foxcroft, Maine | United States | 2013 | |||
| Ojiya Hot Air Balloon Festival | Ojiya, Niigata | Japan | 1977 | February | (Japanese) | |
| Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival | Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, Tennessee | United States | 2004 | 2010 | ||
| Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta | George Town, Penang | Malaysia | 2015 | February | ||
| Pennington Balloon Championship | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | United States | 1980s | |||
| Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta | Angeles City | Philippines | 1994 | 2nd week of February | ||
| Plano Balloon Festival | Plano, Texas | United States | 1980 | |||
| Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta | Putrajaya | Malaysia | 2009 | |||
| Qatar Balloon Festival | Doha | Qatar | 2019 | |||
| Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning | Readington Township, New Jersey | United States | 1983 | Third week of July | ||
| Quechee Hot Air Balloon Craft and Music Festival | Quechee, Vermont | United States | 1979 | Father's Day Weekend | ||
| Raduno Internazionale dell'Epifania | Mondovì | Italy | 1988 | First week of January | (Italian) | |
| Ravenna Balloon A-Fair | Ravenna, Ohio | United States | 1979 | |||
| RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival | Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas | United States | 1993 | |||
| Saga International Balloon Fiesta | Saga, Saga | Japan | 1980 | |||
| Sandy City Balloon Festival | Sandy, Utah | United States | 2006 | First weekend in August | ||
| Sandy Valley Balloon Festival | Sandy Valley, Nevada | United States | 1999 | |||
| Saxonia International Balloon Fiesta | Leipzig | Germany | 1995 | 2015 | ||
| Sierra Vista Festival of Color | Sierra Vista, Arizona | United States | 1989 | |||
| Singha Park Chiangrai Balloon Fiesta | Chiangrai | Thailand | 2019 | November | ||
| Singha Park ChiangRai International Balloon Fiesta | Chiangrai | Thailand | 2019 | Valentine in February | ||
| Sky Safari | Longleat, Wiltshire | United Kingdom | 2016 | |||
| Strathaven Balloon Festival | Strathaven, South Lanarkshire | United Kingdom | 1999 | |||
| Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally | Binghamton, New York | United States | 1985 | |||
| Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic | Boise, Idaho | United States | 1991 | |||
| St. Patty's Day Balloon Rallye | Los Lunas, New Mexico | United States | 1984 | |||
| Suncook Valley Balloon Rally | Pittsfield, New Hampshire | United States | 1981 | First weekend in August | ||
| Sunflower Balloon Fest | Anthony, Kansas | United States | 1998 | Mother's Day Weekend (2nd Weekend in May) | ||
| Sweetheart Balloon Rally | Loveland, Colorado | United States | 2007 | Last weekend in August | ||
| Taiwan Balloon Festival | Taitung | Taiwan | 2011 | Summer | (Chinese) | |
| Tamil Nadu International Balloon Festival | Pollachi, Tamil Nadu | India | 2015 | Jan 13-16 Pongal Holidays | ||
| Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival | Temecula, California | United States | 1984 | |||
| Thailand International Balloon Festival | Ayutthaya | Thailand | 2007 | |||
| Tigard Festival of Balloons | Tigard, Oregon | United States | 1984 | June | ||
| The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race | Natchez, Mississippi | United States | 1986 | |||
| The Great Prosser Balloon Rally | Prosser, Washington | United States | 1990 | |||
| Thunderbird Balloon Classic | Glendale, Arizona | United States | 1975 | 2006 | ||
| Thurston Classic | Meadville, Pennsylvania | United States | 1988 | |||
| Tiverton Balloon Festival | Tiverton, Devon | United Kingdom | 1988 | |||
| University Motors Mountaineer Balloon Festival | Morgantown, West Virginia | United States | 1985 | |||
| U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship | Varies | United States | 1963 | |||
| Velikie Luki International Balloon Meet [ru] | Velikiye Luki | Russia | 1996 | June | ||
| Vredefeesten | Sint-Niklaas | Belgium | 1948 | First Weekend of September | (Dutch) | |
| Warren County Farmers' Fair Balloon Festival | New Jersey | United States | 2000 | |||
| Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade | Warstein | Germany | 1986 | (German) | ||
| World Hot Air Balloon Championship | Varies | Varies | 1973 | |||
| Festival Internacional de Balões de Ar Quente (FIBAQ) | Alto Alentejo | Portugal | 1997 | first week of November | ||
| Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning | Muskogee, Oklahoma | United States | Last weekend in August | |||
| Poteau Balloon Fest | Poteau, Oklahoma | United States | 3rd weekend in October | |||
| Firelake Fireflight Balloon Festival | Shawnee, Oklahoma | United States | Second weekend in August | |||
| Walla Walla Balloon Stampede | Walla Walla, Washington | United States | 1974 | Third weekend in September | ||
| Wintrop Balloon Stampede | Winthrop, Washington | United States | 1980 | First weekend in March |
Gallery
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Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade (WIM), Germany
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The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (held in the city of Bristol, England), is one of the biggest festivals of its type in Europe
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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
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Balloons flying during the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in George Town, Penang in 2017.
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Starting balloons at the Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade in Warstein, Germany
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Grand Britannia, the Great British Balloon flying at the Mondial event in Lorraine, France
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Mid-Hudson Valley Balloon Festival
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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
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Night Glow at the 20º Hot Air Balloon Festival (FIBAQ) in Alter do Chão, Portugal, on 11 November 2016
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Leon International Hot Air Balloon Festival 2012 in Leon, Mexico
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See also
References
- 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
- 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
- Walla Walla Balloon Festival
- Northeast US Hot Air Balloon Festivals