List of hot air balloon festivals
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 USA), in which balloons are fired while remaining tethered to the ground; and rides.
Festival | City | Country | Year Started | When Held | Official Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival | Glens Falls, New York | United States | 1973 | Last full weekend of 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] |
Araku Balloon Festival | Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh | India | 2017 | [4] | |
Arizona's SalsaFest Balloon Festival | Safford, Arizona | United States | 2008 | [5] | |
Ashland Ballonfest | Ashland, Ohio | United States | 1990 | [6] | |
Atlantic Balloon Fiesta | Sussex, New Brunswick | Canada | 1985 | [7] | |
Balaton Crossing International Hot Air Balloon Competition and Fiesta | Siófok | Hungary | 2004 | May | [8] |
Ballonfiësta Barneveld | Barneveld | Netherlands | 1983 | [9](Dutch) | |
Ballonhappening Waregem | Waregem | Belgium | 1999 | [10] | |
Balloons, Bikes, Blues and Barbeque | Parsons, Kansas | United States | 2009 to 2016 | Third Weekend in October | [1] |
Balloons over Waikato | Hamilton, North Island | New Zealand | 1999 | [11] | |
Balloons over Wairarapa | Wairarapa, North Island | New Zealand | 1999 | [12] | |
Blossom Time Balloon Festival | Chagrin Falls, Ohio | United States | 1988 | [13] | |
Bluegrass Balloon Festival | Louisville, Kentucky | United States | 1999 | [14] | |
Bluff Balloon Festival | Bluff, Utah | United States | 1998 | [15] | |
Breda Balloon Fiësta | Breda | Netherlands | 1986 | [16] | |
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta | Bristol | United Kingdom | 1979 | [17] | |
Canberra Balloon Spectacular | Canberra | Australia | 1987 | [18] | |
Cedar City Sky Festival | Cedar City, Utah | United States | 2005 | 3rd weekend in September | [19] |
Centralia Balloon Festival | Centralia, Illinois | United States | 1990 | [20] | |
Colorado Balloon Classic | Colorado Springs, Colorado | United States | 1977 | Labor Day weekend in September | [21] |
Colorado River Crossing Balloon Festival | Yuma, Arizona | United States | 1990 | [22] | |
Creston Hot Air Balloon Days | Creston, Iowa | United States | 1978 | 3rd weekend in September | |
Delta Air Balloon Festival | Greenville, Mississippi | United States | — | [23] | |
Dolomiti Balloonfestival | Toblach | Italy | 2003 | [24] | |
European Balloon Festival | Igualada, Catalonia | Spain | 1997 | First fortnight of July | [25] |
European Hot Air Balloon Championships | Varies | Europe | 1992 | [26] | |
Berkeley | United Kingdom | 2008 | [27] | ||
Eyes to the Skies Festival | Lisle, Illinois | United States | 1981 to 2008 | [28] | |
Eyes to the Sky Balloon Festival | Salina, Utah | United States | 2007 | Third weekend in June | [29] |
Ferrara Balloons Festival | Ferrara | Italy | 2005 | [30] (Italian) | |
Festival Internacional de Balonismo de Torres | Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | 1989 | Late April | [31] (Portuguese) |
Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival | Battle Creek, Michigan | United States | 1980 | [32] | |
Freedom Weekend Aloft | Simpsonville, South Carolina | United States | 1982 | [33] | |
Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival | Gatineau, Quebec | Canada | 1988 | Labor Day Weekend | [34] |
Gordon Bennett Cup gas balloon race | Varies | Varies | 1906 | Hosted by country of the race winner two years prior. | [35] |
Great Falls Balloon Festival | Lewiston / Auburn, Maine | United States | 1992 | [36] | |
Great Forest Park Balloon Race | Saint Louis, Missouri | United States | 1973 | [37] | |
Great Midwest Balloon Fest | Kansas | United States | 2010 to 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 to 2003 | [2] | |
Great Pershing Balloon Derby | Brookfield, Missouri | United States | 1977 | [38] | |
Great Reno Balloon Race | Reno, Nevada | United States | 1981 | [39] | |
Great Texas Balloon Race | Longview, Texas | United States | 1977 | [40] | |
Great Wellsville Balloon Rally | Wellsville, New York | United States | 1975 | [41] | |
Guanajuato International Air Balloon Festival | León, Guanajuato | Mexico | 2002 | In November, the weekend of the Mexican revolution holiday. It is also the Buen Fin. | [42] |
Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair | Lake Havasu City, Arizona | United States | 2011 | The third weekend in January | [43] |
Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race | Helen, Georgia | United States | 1974 | [44] | |
High Hopes Hot Air Balloon Festival | Milford, New Hampshire | United States | 1986 to 2006 | [45] | |
Hokkaido Balloon Festival | Kamishihoro, Hokkaido | Japan | 1973 | [46] | |
Hot Air Jubilee | Jackson, Michigan | United States | 1984 | [47] | |
Huff 'n' Puff | Topeka, Kansas | United States | 1976 | Second weekend of September | [48] |
International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Château-d'Oex | Château-d'Œx | Switzerland | 1979 | [49] | |
International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Gilboa | Well of Harod | Israel | 2009 | August | [50] (Hebrew) |
International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec | Canada | 1984 | [51] | |
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. | [52] |
Kinsmen Cornwall Lift Off | Cornwall, Ontario | Canada | 1994 to 2014 | [53] | |
Kiwanis Balloonfest | Valparaiso, Indiana | United States | 1991 | [54] | |
Lakeside of the Smokies Balloonfest | White Pine, Tennessee | United States | 2019 | [55] | |
London International Hot Air Balloon Festival | London, Ontario | Canada | 1983 to 2007 | [56] | |
Grand Est Mondial Air Balloon | Chambley-Bussières Air Base, Lorraine | France | 1989 | End of July. Once every 2 years. | [57] |
Macomb Balloon Rally | Macomb, Illinois | United States | 1987 | Second Weekend of September | [58] |
Mansfield Balloon Festival | Mansfield, Victoria | Australia | 1995 | ||
Meetjeslandse Balloonmeeting | Eeklo | Belgium | 1986 | [59] | |
Metro NY Balloon & Music Festival | Shirley, New York | United States | 2007 to 2008 | [60] | |
Michigan Challenge Balloonfest | Howell, Michigan | United States | 1985 | [61] | |
Mid-Hudson Valley Balloon Festival | Poughkeepsie, New York | United States | 1992 | ||
Midwest SkyFest | Kentland, Indiana | United States | 2010 | July | [62] |
Montpelier Bean Days Balloon Festival | Montpelier, Ohio | United States | 2014 | July | [63] |
National Balloon Classic | Indianola, Iowa | United States | 1969 | First week of August | [64] |
National Balloon Rally (Carolina BalloonFest) | Statesville, North Carolina | United States | 1974 | Third weekend in October | [65] |
New York State Festival of Balloons | Dansville, New York | United States | 1981 | [66] | |
Northampton Balloon Festival | Northampton | United Kingdom | 1990 | [67] | |
Northwest Art and Air Festival | Albany, Oregon | United States | 2000 | [68] | |
Northwest Connecticut Balloon Festival | Connecticut | United States | 1995 to 2004 | [69] | |
Northwest Georgia Hot-Air Balloon Festival | Summerville, Georgia | United States | 2008 | [70] [71] | |
Piscataquis Heritage Hot Air Balloon Festival | Dover-Foxcroft, Maine | United States | 2013 | [72] | |
Ojiya Hot Air Balloon Festival | Ojiya, Niigata | Japan | 1977 | February | [73](Japanese) |
Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival | Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, Tennessee | United States | 2004 to 2010 | [74] | |
Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta | George Town, Penang | Malaysia | 2015 | February | [75] |
Pennington Balloon Championship | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | United States | 1980s | [76] | |
Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta | Angeles City | Philippines | 1994 | 2nd week of February | [77] |
Plano Balloon Festival | Plano, Texas | United States | 1980 | [78] | |
Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta | Putrajaya | Malaysia | 2009 | [79] | |
Qatar Balloon Festival | Doha | Qatar | 2019 | [80] | |
Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning | Readington Township, New Jersey | United States | 1983 | Third week of July | [81] |
Quechee, Vermont | United States | 1979 | Father's Day Weekend | [82] | |
Raduno Internazionale dell'Epifania | Mondovì | Italy | 1988 | First week of January | [83] (Italian) |
Ravenna Balloon A-Fair | Ravenna, Ohio | United States | 1979 | [84] | |
RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival | Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas | United States | 1993 | [85] | |
Saga International Balloon Fiesta | Saga Prefecture | Japan | 1980 | [86] | |
Sandy City Balloon Festival | Sandy, Utah | United States | 2006 | First weekend in August | [87] |
Sandy Valley Balloon Festival | Sandy Valley, Nevada | United States | 1999 | [88] | |
Saxonia International Balloon Fiesta | Leipzig | Germany | 1995 | [89] | |
Sierra Vista Festival of Color | Sierra Vista, Arizona | United States | 1989 | [90] | |
Singha Park Chiangrai Balloon Fiesta | Chiangrai | Thailand | 2019 | November | [91] |
Singha Park ChiangRai International Balloon Fiesta | Chiangrai | Thailand | 2019 | Valentine in February | [92] |
Sky Safari | Longleat, Wiltshire | United Kingdom | 2016 | [93] | |
Strathaven Balloon Festival | Strathaven, South Lanarkshire | United Kingdom | 1999 | [94] | |
Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally | Binghamton, New York | United States | 1985 | [95] | |
Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic | Boise, Idaho | United States | 1991 | [96] | |
St. Patty's Day Balloon Rallye | Los Lunas, New Mexico | United States | 1984 | [97] | |
Sunflower Balloon Fest | Anthony, Kansas | United States | 1998 | Mother's Day Weekend (2nd Weekend in May) | [98] |
Sweetheart Balloon Rally | Loveland, Colorado | United States | 2007 | Last weekend in August | [99] |
Taiwan Balloon Festival | Taitung | Taiwan | 2011 | Summer | [100] (Chinese) |
Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival | Temecula, California | United States | 1984 | [101] | |
Thailand International Balloon Festival | Ayutthaya | Thailand | 2007 | [102] | |
The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race | Natchez, Mississippi | United States | 1986 | [103] | |
The Great Prosser Balloon Rally | Prosser, Washington | United States | 1990 | [104] | |
Thunderbird Balloon Classic | Glendale, Arizona | United States | 1975 to 2006 | [105] | |
Thurston Classic | Meadville, Pennsylvania | United States | 1988 | [106] | |
Tiverton Balloon Festival | Tiverton, Devon | United Kingdom | 1988 | [107] | |
University Motors Mountaineer Balloon Festival | Morgantown, West Virginia | United States | 1985 | [108] | |
Varies | United States | 1963 | [109] | ||
Velikie Luki International Balloon Meet | Velikiye Luki | Russia | 1996 | June | [110] |
Vredefeesten | Sint-Niklaas | Belgium | 1948 | First Weekend of September | [111] (Dutch) |
Warren County Farmers' Fair Balloon Festival | New Jersey | United States | 2000 | [112] | |
Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfiade | Warstein | Germany | 1986 | [113] (German) | |
World Hot Air Balloon Championship | Varies | Varies | 1973 | [114] | |
Festival Internacional de Balões de Ar Quente (FIBAQ) | Alto Alentejo | Portugal | 1997 | first week of November | [115] |
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
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the world.
Balloons flying above the Ancient Castle of Ferrara during the Ferrara Balloon Festival
Balloons flying during the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in George Town, Penang in 2017.
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
A "smiling sun" hot air balloon behind 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
References[]
- ^ jwilley@parsonssun.com, Jamie Willey. "Annual blues festival canceled for lack of attendance". Parsons Sun. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
- ^ "greenville-ny.com/balloon.html". 2006-02-10. Archived from the original on 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
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
- Hot air balloon festivals
- Lists of festivals by topic
- Sports festivals
- Air shows