Best Hot Air Balloon Festivals in Virginia
Virginia hosts several hot air balloon festivals throughout the year. It is such a fun way for the whole family to watch hot air balloon flights from below or even hop on a hot air balloon ride yourself! Beautiful hot air balloons never lose their magic and it's such a unique experience no matter your age!
Even if you don't want to soar above the ground in a hot air balloon, these hot air balloon festivals are great family-friendly event options packed with children's activities galore! Hot air balloon festivals typically happen in the fall, but there are a few summertime festivals that happen.
Best Hot Air Balloon Festivals in Virginia
Here are some hot air balloon festivals that are held in Virginia that you do not want to miss!
Balloons Over Rockbridge - Hot Air Balloon and Music Festival:
Visitors of all ages will love to see 14 Hot Air Balloons fill the Rockbridge County, Virginia skies, tethered hot air balloon rides, kid activities, beer/wine adult beverages, food trucks, live music, 5K, Balloon Glow, and community fellowship in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley!
Between great local bands delivering live music, vibrant colorful balloon glows, mass ascension of balloons morning and evenings, tethered balloo great food and adult beverage options, arts and craft vendors, helicopter rides, kids zone, aerialist performances, guests are sure to have a blast at this community hot air balloon event. Local Rockbridge County Charities are present as vendors. This event is popular, and you will want to arrive early so you can get to the entry line before the long line of cars form.
Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival:
The Shenandoah Valley Hair Air Balloon and Music Festival includes balloon launches, wine sampling, live entertainment and music, and food vendors. The Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival is an annual event that takes place in Winchester, Virginia. The festival is held at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
The Flying Circus Hot Air Balloon Festival
Located in Bealeton, Virginia, this festival combines the excitement of hot air balloons with aerobatic airshows and other aviation-related activities every year in August. It's a unique event that offers something for aviation enthusiasts and families alike and visitors love returning to year after year. Balloons will begin inflation and launching process around 0700-0730, if you don’t arrive early, you may miss the inflations and launches and then will relaunch again for evening balloon launches.
The Flying Circus Hot Air Balloon Festival is organized by the Flying Circus Aerodrome and features tethered and chartered flights in hot air balloons throughout the festival. The two-day festival starts at 6 am with a spectacular lift-off. In addition to hot air balloons, airshows will also take place at 1:30 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Late afternoon and evening balloon launches will happen between 6 and 8 pm.
Picnic tables are available on site, and food vendors sell hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, Pepsi products, ice cream, and more. Tethered balloon rides are for those not looking to go above 50ft. are $20/adult & $10/kids (12 and under). Free-flight balloon rides are $300/person. Additionally, at this hot air balloon festival will have a partially inflated balloon available to walk through and take pictures from the inside.
Prince William County Hot Air Balloon Festival
The Prince William County Hot Air Balloon Festival is an annual event that takes place in the fall at the Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas, Virginia. The festival features a variety of activities, including hot air balloon rides, a balloon glow and laser show, a kid’s zone with games, rides, and inflatables, live music, and entertainers. The festival is also home to a variety of food vendors and arts and crafts vendors making it a fun festival for visitors of all ages.
The Spectacular Ed McDaniel Memorial Balloon Glow
The Spectacular Ed McDaniel Memorial Balloon Glow is an event that takes place at the Oak Hill Property of the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA. It is a part of the Balloons Over Rockbridge festival, which is a weekend-long event that features hot air balloon flights, local bands, food and merchandise vendors, beer, children’s activities, and more. The balloon glow takes place at 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday. It is a beautiful sight to behold as dozens of hot air balloons light up the night sky.
If you’re interested in attending the event, please note that all balloon activities are weather dependent 1 Admission to the event is free, but there are certain items that are not allowed on the premises such as tents, pop-ups, large umbrellas, coolers, weapons or drones. Dogs are welcome but must be well-mannered, vaccinated and leashed.
Chesapeake Bay Balloon Festival
While this festival is not in Virginia, it is so close in neighboring Maryland so I am including it as its a short commute from lots of Virginians. The featured attraction is more than twenty art-inspired hot air balloons. Tethered rides are an inexpensive way to experience ballooning, 50′ in the air for 3-5 minutes ($20 adults, $10 kids). Balloon fly-aways are beautifully stunning to watch as balloon drift over the countryside. Guests can ride along for $350 on a 45 minute to an hour ride (Reservations here)
The evening “balloon glow” is the ultimate photo opportunity with a backdrop of balloons lit up against the dark night sky. Saturday and Sunday morning at 6 AM the balloons fly away, often breaking through the mist lying over the field. Note that weather has major impact on hot air balloon activities. The slightest breeze and balloons may not be able to fly, but that’s why we have so many other great things going on! Of course there are colorful hot air balloons, tethered rides, and night glows.
Wine from the Eastern Shore Triple Creek Winery. Beer, Live Bands, Food Trucks, Artists, Kids Games, Face Painting, Inflatables and more. The Festival is designed with lots of entertainment in case weather doesn't cooperate for the balloons. It's like an arts festival, music festival, beer and wine festival with balloons. Proceeds help launch American Farm Foundation to connect consumers with healthy food supporting local family farms.
Ballooning requires very light winds and an absence of thermal activity to be safe and enjoyable, therefore, most balloons fly in the early morning and late evening hours to keep the balloon crew and riders safe.
Virginia Hot Air Balloon Ride Options All Year Long
There are hot air balloon rides some years available at the Chesterfield County Fair and the Caroline County Agricultural Fair.
You can also book Private hot air balloon Flights from a company called Balloons Over Virginia located in central Virginia. This company has options to make their hot air balloons the Perfect Compliment for Weddings, Wedding Receptions, Engagements, Birthday Parties, Company Retirements, Memorial Flights and Other Special Events!
Nothing is as peaceful as drifting over the tree tops in beautiful Albemarle County, Virginia with a hot air balloon ride with Monticello Country Ballooning. They offer sunrise and sunset flights year-round in the greater Charlottesville area.
Please keep in mind that hot air balloon event details can change, so it's a good idea to check the latest information, including event dates, admission fees, and any other related restrictions, on the official websites or event Facebook page of these hot air balloon festivals as you get closer to the date you plan to attend. Additionally, new festivals may have emerged since my last update, so it's worth doing an online search for the most up-to-date information on hot air balloon festivals in Virginia in 2023 or beyond.
If you are interested in traveling farther than Virginia for a hot air balloon festival or want an excuse to head out of Virginia, check out these out of state hot air balloon festival opportunities too!
Blueberry Balloonfest Plymouth - Beginning in 1960s, Hot Air Balloons have graced the sky at the Blueberry Festival. With multiple group launches by balloon pilots, the hot air balloons shine brightly in the annual Blueberry Balloon Glow on Sunday, just before the Giant Fireworks show. Balloonists will be in Plymouth once again showcasing their skills and entertaining the crowds at this weekend event.
Snowdown Balcherry Blossom Festival- This hot air balloon event occurs during Labor Day weekend each year. Held at Centennial Park 1660 N. Michigan Street Plymouth, IN United States 46563
Collierville Balloon Festival Collierville, Tennessee - The Festival brings together more than 20 stunning hot air balloons, live entertainment, food, arts & crafts vendors, and more to provide a great time for the whole family. Proceeds from the event will support education programs in the local community.If you are a morning person, head to the festival at dawn to see the first hot air balloons rise. Begin Saturday (Sept. 16) and Sunday (Sept. 17) mornings with a FREE breathtaking dawn ascension of participating balloons. At night, grab a blanket or a chair and enjoy the balloon glow, featuring the festival’s balloons lighting the evening sky. Truly a remarkable experience.Step directly into the wonder of hot air ballooning – for $20 per person, passengers of all ages can take a tethered balloon ride and get a bird’s-eye view of the entire event.There will be live music, a Kids' Zone sponsored by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, food trucks and other food vendors, as well as arts & crafts vendors. Enjoy carnival rides*, midway games*, and activities for all ages Tickets are required to attend the festival. Festival hours 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit back and relax and enjoy the spectacular display. Meet local artists and artisans, and see their work available for purchase. Learn about services and products offered by B and regional businesses.
Spirit of Boise Balloon Rally- Hosted annually at Ann Morrison Park, the spirit of boise balloon classic boise event brings together locals and tourists alike who enjoy being surrounded by endless colorful balloons, inspiring music, and their favorite local radio stations.All launches are weather-permitting, however they typically take place starting at 7:15 a.m. and last until as late as 9 a.m. You can frequently see the hot air balloons soaring over downtown Boise, with the occasional balloon falling on historic landmarks, including building rooftops, right in the middle of Broadway avenue, and even the front lawn at our Capitol building! With free tethered rides on Cap Ed Kids, a chance to meet aeronauts each morning and a one-of-a-kind Nite Glow spectacular, the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic is truly an event you need to experience! 1000 S Americana Blvd, Boise, ID 83706
Metamora Country Days and Hot Air Balloon Festival (Metamora, Michigan) his popular family-friendly celebration draws thousands of visitors to our community every August. Revelers enjoy local food, music, art, a parade, crafts and activities as well as the launching over 20 hot air balloons on both Friday and Saturday nights, capped off with an extraordinary fireworks display on Saturday night. As the name implies, Metamora Country Days and Hot Air Balloon Festival ® is the definition of a small-town summer festival! Visitors are sure to enjoy the many festivities that include music, games, arts & crafts, fireworks and of course, the balloons!
I hope you and your family enjoy the magic that hot air balloons and these festivals bring!
