Hot Air Balloon Events.org
the free worldwide listing portal of where to go and see hot air balloons and balloon events
106 listed
Worldwide Hot Air Balloon Festival List 2008-2009 33 NEW updates! TOTAL 139 11 April 08
Please scroll down, the list is getting longer! Check back here regularly or you might miss out! If you think this is a useful resource please feel free to link to this site.
Date Event Name Where Organiser Details/Contact Other Information
2008
9-13 April Balloons over Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz
12-20 April Canberra Balloon Fiesta Canberra, Australia www.balloonfiesta.com.au
25-27 April Aeroexpo Prague Prague, Czech Republic www.expo.aero
25 April - 4 May Colour in the Sky Festival Umbria, Italy barry at ballooningitaly.com
27 April - 3 May South African National Champs Bethlehem, South Africa randcard at global.za
1-4 May N Carolina Strawberry Festival Chadbourn, North Carolina, USA www.ncstrawberryfestival.com
1-4 May Saltillo Balloon Festival Saltillo, Mexico www.balloonfestivalmexico.com
2-4 May Montgolfiades Centrale Lille Lille, France montgolfiades.ec-lille.fr
2-6 May 8th Mountain Balloon Competition Krosno, Poland info at aeroklub.lublin.pl
3-5 May Black Horse One Man Meet Gt Missenden, UK www.solomeet.wanadoo.co.uk
4-6 May Oldtimers BalloonRally Roswell, New Mexico, USA bnsglen at cableone.net
9-11 May Flying Man of Pocklington Pocklington, Yorkshire, UK mattthedog05 at yahoo.co.uk
10 May BBM&L Inflation Day Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, UK www.britishballoonmuseum.org.uk
11-13 May 34th Walla Walla Balloon Stampede Washington, USA www.wwvchamber.com
12-18 May 11th Art & Science of Flight Sienna, Italy flyitaly at gmail.com
15-17 May Maryland Preakness Balloon Fest Baltimore, Maryland, USA www.ballooningusa.com/preakness
16-18 May Packhouse Charity Balloon Festival Surrey, UK alison.hougham at ntlworld.com
16-18 May Amherst Experimental LTA Rally Massachusetts, USA www.xlta.org
17-18 May Friends of Canowindra Meet Canowindra, NSW, Australia balloonjan at bigpond.com
20-25 May Hungarian Competition & Fiesta Lake Balaton, Hungary www.ballonfieszta.hu
21-25 May Lithuanian Open Championship Vilnius, Lithuania www.ballooning.lt
23-26 May Bowood House Balloon Meet Bowood House Wiltshire UK flycam-bmss.co.uk
24-26 May UK Grand Prix 1 Ludlow, UK www.ballooncomps.org.uk
26-27 May Alabama Jubilee Balloon Classic Decatur, Alabama. USA www.alabamajubilee.net
30 May - 1 June Marijampole Balloon Fiesta Marijampole, Lithuania www.ballooning.lt
31 May - 2 June Ballonnenparade Tilburg, Netherlands www.ballonnenparade.nl
31 May - 3 June 2nd EU Balloon Cup Krakow, Poland balony.n.o.e at wp.pl
4-8 June Kosice Balloon Fiesta Slovakia www.balon.sk
6-8 June Temecula Valley Festival Lake Skinner, California, USA www.tvbwf.com
6-8 June Coshocton Balloon Festival Ohio, USA www.coshoctoncounty.net
6-9 June Croatian Balloon Rally Zagreb, Croatia tom at baloni.hr
7 June Evesham Balloon Festival Evesham, Worcestershire, UK www.skypower.co.uk
7-14 June Velikie Luki International Balloon Meet Russia www.balloon-cup.ru/index_en.shtml
13-15 June Black Sheep Brewery Meet Masham, Yorkshire www.prba.org.u
13-15 June Aeroexpo London Wycombe Air Park, UK www.expo.aero
13-15 June Quechee Balloon Festival Vermont, USA whids at juno.com
13-15 June Maribor Air Show Maribor, Slovenia ias.baloncenter.com
13-17 June York PA Balloon Festival York County, Pennsylvania, USA www.windjammerballoons.com/festival
13-15 June Wild West Balloon Fest San Angelo, Texas racertexas at aol.com
14-15 June UK Grand Prix 2 Sudeley Castle, UK www.ballooncomps.org.uk
15 June Father's Day Balloon Meet Kemble airfield, Cirencester, UK david.hotair at gmail.com
19-21 June Warsteiner Balloonfiesta Overijssel Zwolle, The Netherlands www.ballonfiestazwolle.nl
19-22 June Balloons in June Clinton, Iowa, USA www.balloonsinjune.us
20-21 June Gemert Balloon Festival Gemert, The Netherlands www.gemertsballonfestijn.nl
20-22 June Summer Balloon Classic Waxahachie, Texas, USA www.summerballoonclassic.com
21-28 June FAI World Hot Air Airship Championship St Petersburg, Russia www.world-airship2008.com
and International Balloon Fiesta
25-29 June Brazilian Open Championship Rio Claro, Brazil www.balonismonoar.com.br
27-29 June Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally Utah, USA www.panguitchballoons.com
27-29 June Michigan Challenge Michigan, USA www.michiganchallenge.com
27-29 June Celina Balloon Festival Texas, USA bpok at cox.net
1-7 July International Womens Event Great Wall, China www.vbevents.org
3-4 July Fourth of July Balloon Rally Lexington, Virginia, USA www.sunriserotarylexva.org
2-6 July European Balloon Festival Igualada, Spain www.ultramagic.com
2-6 July Battle Creek Field of Flight Battle Creek, Michigan www.bcballoons.com
3-5 July Lexington Sunrise Festival Virginia, USA whids at juno.com
3-6 July Lisle Eyes to the Skies Festival Lisle, Chicago, USA www.eyestotheskiesfestival.com
10-13 July Eindhoven Balloon Festival Eindhoven, Netherlands www.eindhovenballooning.nl
10-13 July Hillsborough Balloon Festival New Hampshire, USA www.balloonfestival.org
11-13 July Killarney Summerfest Balloon Meet Ireland phil at gonewiththewind.uk.com
11-13 July Stoweflake Balloon Festival Stowe, Vermont, USA www.stoweflake.com
11-13 July Great Texas Balloon Race Longview Texas, USA www.greattexasballoonrace.com
11-13 July Lake Mungo Outback Flying Australia marrack at hotmail.com
13-27 July 20th Italian Grand Prix Todi, Italy todigrandprix at tiscalinet.it
17-20 July Phoenix Festival Tullamore, Ireland balloons at phoenixfestival.ie
18-20 July Great Wellsville Balloon Rally New York, USA www.wellsvilleballoonrally.com
18-20 July Ohio Challenge Middletown, Ohio, USA www.ohiochallenge.com
18-20 July Elkhart County Fair Balloon Chase Indiana, USA balloon at maplenet.net
18-20 July Jackson Hot Air Jubilee Jackson, Michigan. USA www.hotairjubilee.com
23-27 July Friese Balloon Festival Joure, Netherlands ballonfeesten.nl
23-27 July 15th Saxonia Balloon Fiesta Leipzig, Germany www.balloonfiesta.de
25-27 July 26th New Jersey Balloon Festival New Jersey, USA www.balloonfestival.com
25-27 July Central Wyoming Balloon Fest Casper, Wyoming, USA www.wyomingballoonfest.com
26-27 July UK Grand Prix 3 Husbands Bosworth, UK www.ballooncomps.org.uk
30 July - 3 Aug Luxgsm World/ Honda Cup Echternach, Luxembourg www.wbt.lu
1-3 August Basingstoke Balloon Festival Basingstoke, UK www.skypower.co.uk
1-3 August Spiediefest & Balloon Rally Binghamton, NY, USA www.spiediefest.com
1-3 August Gatesway Balloon Festival Claremore, Oklahoma, USA bpok at cox.net
2-3 August Balloons and Ferraris Groombridge Place, Kent, UK info at airborneballoons.co.uk
7-9 August Breda Balloon Festival Breda, Netherlands bredaballonfiesta.nl
7-10 August Bristol Balloon Meet Bristol, UK www.bristolfiesta.co.uk
8-10 August Metro New York Festival Shirley, NY, USA www.metronyballoonfest.com
9-17 Aug International de Montgolfieres St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada ballooncanada.com
7-10 August Bristol Balloon Fiesta Bristol, UK bristolfiesta.co.uk
15-16 August All Ohio Balloon Rally Marysville, Ohio kb at marysvilljt.com
15-17 August Northampton Balloon Festival Northampton UK northamptonballoonfestival.com
15-17 August Ogden Valley Balloon Festival Eden, Utah, USA www.ogdenvalleyballoonfestival.com
15-17 August Centralia Balloon Fest Illinois, USA www.balloon-fest.com
15-17 August The Great Balloon Race Lithuania www.ballooning.lt
15-17 August Flag City Balloon Fest Ohio, USA flagcityballoonfest.com
20-23 August Ballonfiesta Barneveld Barneveld, Netherlands www.ballonfiestabarneveld.nl
21-24 August Crown of Maine Balloon Fest Presque Isle, Maine, USA www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org
22-24 August Rocky Mountain Balloon Festival Denver, Colorado, USA www.rockymountainballoonfestival.com
22-24 August Hot Air Balloon Classic Garden City, Kansas, USA www.gardencity.net
22-25 August West Country Balloon Fiesta Tavistock, Devon UK www.westcountryballoons.com
22-25 August Headcorn Flying Proms Kent, UK liz at ballooning.fsnet.co.uk
23-24 August 8th Hottolfiades Hotton, Belgium charles.gourmet at scarlet.be
24-25 August Caerphilly Balloon Festival Caerphilly, Wales www.skypower.co.uk
27-30 August Twente Balloon Festival Oldenzaal, Netherlands www.twenteballooning.nl
27 Aug - 1 Sept US National Championships Anderson, S Carolina, USA www.bfa.net
28-31 August 3rd Basque Country Champs Vitoria – Gasteiz, Spain alvaro at alavaenglobo.com
29-31 August Llangollen Balloon Festival Llangollen, UK www.xuberance.co.uk
29-31 August Mosel Balloon Fiesta Trier-Fohren, Germany www.schroeder-fireballoons.de
29-31 August Kevelaer Balloon Festival Kevelaer, Germany info at aeronautics-bg.de
29 Aug - 1 Sept Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival Gatineau, Quebec, Canada www.balloongatineau.com
30 Aug - 1 Sept Colorado Balloon Classic Colorado Springs, USA www.balloonclassic.com
5-9 Sept Balloon 2008 Sint-Niklaas Belgium
5-7 September Bad Durrheimer Balloon Festival Germany ballonfestival at ballone.com
5-7 September McCook Balloon Festival McCook, Nebraska, USA www.mccookballoonfest.com
5-7 September 33rd Annual Huff-N-Puff Lake Shawnee, Kansas, USA greatplainsballoonclub.googlepages.com
5-7 September Great Reno Balloon Race Reno, Nevada, USA www.renoballoon.com
5-7 September Atlantic Balloon Fiesta New Brunswick, Canada atlanticballoonfiesta.ca
5-14 Sept Warsteiner Internationale Montgolfade Germany www.warsteiner-wim.de
11-14 Sept 4th Ballontage Toggenburg Switzerland www.ballontagetoggenburg.ch
13-20 Sept World Balloon Championships Hofkirchen, Austria www.balloon2008.com
19-21 September Chelmsford Balloon Festival Essex www.skypower.co.uk
19-21 September Plano Balloon Festival Plano, Texas, USA www.planoballoonfest.com
19-21 September Ravenna Balloon A-Fair Ohio, USA www.ravennaballoonafair.com
19-21 September Naburn Lock Meet Naburn Lock, Yorkshire, UK mattthedog05 at yahoo.co.uk
19-28 September Lunardi Trophy Capannori, Italy www.flyairevents.org
19-29 September Ferrara Balloon Meeting Ferrara, Italy info at comunicazioneinvolo.it
21-22 September Chelmsford Balloon Festival Chelmsford, Essex, UK www.skypower.co.uk
21-26 September Irish Ballooning Championship Waterford, Ireland www.irishballooning.com
27 Sept - 5 Oct Alpine Ballonwoche Flims Switzerland www.ballonwoche-flims.ch
2-5 October Brigachtaler Model Balloon Meet Brigachtal, Germany www.modellballone.com
3-8 October Georgian Open Championship Mtskheta, Georgia www.balloons.ge
4-12 Oct Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA www.balloonfiesta.com
10-12 October Vencimont Balloon Meeting Vencimont, Belgium info at aerovolare.be
16-19 October Torreon Balloon Festival Mexico www.balloonfestivalmexico.com
21-22 October Zacatecas Festival Mexico www.balloonfestivalmexico.com
23-26 October Festival de Globos Las Calaveras Aguascalientes, Mexico www.balloonfestivalmexico.com
31 Oct - 2 Nov Page-Lake Powell Balloon Regatta Arizona, US basketcasehotair at yahoo.com
7-11 November Jordan International Balloon Festival Wadi Rum, Jordan www.eng-forum.com/Balloons
12-16 November Thailand International Balloon Fiesta Khao Yai, Thailand www.wind-and-fire.com
17-30 November North Thailand Balloon Tour Thailand www.wind-and-fire.com
5-7 December Holiday Balloon Fest Battle Creek, Michigan, USA www.holidayballoonfest.com
2009
13-18 Feb Viva Valentine Thailand www.wind-and-fire.com
7-13 June World Air Games Turin, Italy www.worldairgames.org
24 July - 2 Aug Lorraine 2009 Chambley, Metz, France www.pilatre-de-roziere.com
21-29 August European Championships Brissac-Quince, Anjou, France www.ffaerostation.org
Want to list your balloon meet? Email info@balloonevents.org
Would you like to have balloons come to your event? Email the following details to info@balloonevents.org
Date and Venue
Attendance figures
Audience profile (eg age)
Is sponsorship or fee to attend available?
Any other details about the event
Who to contact
and we will post your request here!
If you are organising a non-ballooning show and would like balloon to come to your event, let us know the above details just the same. We'll post it here for balloonists to read and, with any luck, a local balloonist or commercial balloon display team will be interested in making your event a bit hotter!
Guide for the public
As you can see from the list of ballooning events on this site, you can go and see balloons all over the world, and every balloon event is different.
Balloons normally fly in the mornings and evening when days are at their calmest and there are no thermic winds. In alpine areas or cold conditions you might also find balloons flying during the day.
At organised events a popular display is from balloons glowing in the dark by operating their yellow "whisper" burners.
Some events are ‘grassroots’ balloon meets, where balloonists gather on a field somewhere, go into a little huddle (the pilots’ briefing), then set up their balloons and fly off. Sometimes they have competitions and sometimes they just fly for fun.
Other events are big, commercial balloon festivals in city parks or at stately homes, where there are lots of other things to see and do and buy and eat and drink.
A few of the events are serious competitions. The pilots and observers will be concentrating very hard on the task in hand and there won’t be much for the public to do, apart from watching the launches.
The actual ballooning will be much the same at all the events. Balloons only fly just after sunrise and just before sunset. Quite often, launch times will be 6am and 6pm. The balloons will take off and disappear quite quickly. At the bigger, commercial events, they may tether on site during the day if the weather is favourable. In the evening there may be a nightglow scheduled at dusk or after dark.
Ballooning always depends on the weather. The windspeed is the crucial factor. If the trees are bending over and wind is whipping past you, you are very unlikely to see balloons up. Rain may not deter the hardy few, if it’s light drizzle, but most private pilots won’t want to get their balloons wet. Flights may be cancelled in advance or even on the field if conditions are changeable. Or they may be delayed if conditions are expected to improve – for example, if the morning is foggy. This can be frustrating for both the public and the pilots, but safety is always the priority.
At some gatherings, a balloon basket might be set up during the day so that the public can have a look inside and ask the crew and pilot questions. If you are interested in finding out more about ballooning, or you want to get involved, the British Balloon and Airship Club (www.bbac.org) is the governing body in the British Isles. Most other countries have their own ballooning bodies, and there may well be a local club in your region. Follow a balloon and ask the pilot or crew!
Do take a camera or video, because balloons are very photogenic. Smile and wave at the balloonists, they will wave back! Balloon spotting is more common than you think............
If you enjoy following balloons during a flight, please do so safely and keep your eyes on the road! When the balloon has landed, unless it is on public parkland, please do not enter the field. It does belong to somebody. Please do not park your vehicle where it may block the way for other road users, especially on narrow lanes. It is the duty of the retrieve crew to find the farmer or landowner to arrange the recovery of the balloon. Feel free to approach the crew on the road. They may be very glad of an extra pair of hands to help with the recovery and packing away.
Do check the event is still on before you travel to it! We have supplied the website or contact - please substitute @ for 'at' in the email addresses given (to combat spam).
hosted by www.ballooning.fsnet.co.uk
compiled by www.flyingadverts.co.uk