Up Up & Away – Check out these Texas Hot Air Balloon Festivals for 2024.
Incredible hot air balloons are preparing for the flight across Texas skies this fall with beautiful colored balloons and nightly balloon glows. Let’s delve into where all the hot air balloon festivals in Texas are.
Do you know who holds the Official Balloon Capital of Texas title? Keep scrolling to find out.
With weather permitting, balloon festivals are family-friendly and, to my amazement, happen all through the year – not just in the fall – which I thought. There have already been a few hot air balloon festivals this summer, but you’ll have to mark your calendars for those for next year.
These outdoor events offer great food, live music, entertainment, special kid’s activities, full balloon rides, tethered balloon rides, and more!
Family-Friendly Hot Air Balloon Rides In Texas
Some events were hard to find on the internet, so don’t look – instead, read what Texas Travel Talk found. All eleven are in all parts of Texas – North Texas, Central Texas, South Texas, and East Texas. And they are all family-friendly.
Some festivals allow rides, and some only offer tethered rides. Be sure to read up on each one.
2024 List of Hot Air Balloon Festivals In Texas
Bring the entire family out for a day or evening of fun. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate because flying those balloons depends on good weather.
This list contains Texas hot air balloon festivals, but there are other top hot air balloon festivals in the United States and Canada that you may want to know about.
February Balloon Festivals For 2024
• Fredericksburg Chocolate, Wine & Hot Air Balloon Festival
February 10, from 2-8 pm.
Location: Grapetown Vineyard & Farm, and pre-paid parking will be required.
Tickets: $10-$200
Link: Wine and Chocolate Festival
March 2024 Balloon Festivals In Texas
• The Balloon Festival – Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay Resort
March 29-31, 2024
Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay (Marble Falls)
Balloon Festival in the Texas Hill Country – Annual Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay.
Fun Fact: The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a world-renowned hot air balloon festival that happens every fall and is the largest hot air balloon event.
April 2024 Balloon Festivals In Texas
May 2024 Balloon Festivals In Texas
Fredericksburg Farm-to-Table Dinner & Balloon Event
May 6, 2023, from 3-8 pm
Dinner – Hot air balloon rides – Fredericksburg Polo Club – what’s better than that! Also, check out the safari wine tours they are offering and more!
Enjoy a great day of food, drinks, vendors, and live music! A kid-friendly and pet-friendly (pets on a leash at all times) event at Grapetown Vineyard in Fredericksburg.
Be sure to read the tab Schedule as this is a 2-day affair.
June 2024 Balloon Festivals In Texas
• Hopkins County Dairy Festival
Early June
Hot Air Balloon Events are scheduled for Fri, Friday night, & Saturday
• The Great Texas Balloon Race – Longview
Middle of June
The Great Texas Balloon Race is an annual world-class event where the best competitive pilots compete and race their hot air balloons every summer in the City of Longview, Texas. This longest-running hot-air balloon event in Texas is usually held at the East Texas Regional Airport.
Hot air balloon rides in Longview, Texas
Longview Texas Hot Air Balloon Festival
Several pilots say the Great Texas Balloon Race is the best-run event in Texas and the Balloon Race Capital of Texas. Check out this fabulous event and glow run in Longview! These balloon pilots have years of ballooning – and no, it’s not like a pilot who flies planes – totally different!
July 2024 Balloon Festivals In Texas
• Canton Balloon Fest
Early July
Canton Balloon Fest is held on the First Monday grounds on the west side. Activities include bounce houses, car shows, and Friday night’s 5K glow run. The festival will highlight East Texas Music with non-stop music all weekend. Be sure to check out the car show details, too.
Featuring Country Singer – TBA
Tickets: $10 per car, $20 per van, $50 for buses
September 2024 Balloon Festivals In Texas
• Victory Cup Balloon Bash
Fredericksburg
September (Labor Day Weekend)
The heart of the Texas Hill Country – none other than Fredericksburg has many of us wanting to know why this area is so great. Though I love the hill country and all the small towns that make up the scenery, Fredericksburg still holds reigns over all others.
On Labor Day, the Fredericksburg Balloon Festival, aka Victory Cup Balloon Bash (this event has two different names), will fill the skies with hot air balloons, and visitors will come everywhere to see them.
What to expect: Tethered balloon rides, VIP tickets, kid-friendly and pet-friendly, live music, food, vendors
Tickets: $20-$110; Parking $10
• Kyle Pie In The Sky Day Celebration – (Closed for good)
• Paris Balloon & Music Festival
Paris, TX (East Texas)
Early September
The 7th Annual Paris Balloon & Music Festival will be held at the Lamar County Fairgrounds evening festival.
What to expect: Hot Air Balloons, live music, market vendors, a kid’s zone, food trucks, night glows, and more fun!
Tickets: I believe it’s free
• Plano Balloon Festival & Run
This is the last place to get hot air balloon rides in Dallas, Texas, for 2023.
Middle of September
Once again, Central Market Plano Balloon Festival & Run covers Texas skies with its beautiful, colorful hot air balloons and nighttime balloon glow.
Plano kicks off its annual Plano Balloon Festival, starting at 5 p.m., and continues its festivities for four incredible days, ending with its balloon festival races. All at Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve
FYI: I don’t see that it’s official, but The City of Plano is the Balloon Capital of Texas.
What to expect: Half marathon race, 5k run/walk, tethered rides, kids rides, various food options, and much more.
Ticket price: $5-$10; VIP Tickets $150 – purchase all tickets online
Parking: $10-$15
• Re/Max Skylight Balloon Fest
San Antonio Area
End of September
The 7th Annual Skylight Balloon Fest will be at the River City Community Church Grounds in Selma, TX.
Friday night headliner – Small Town Habit will be performing.
What to expect: Market Days, food trucks, attractions, live concerts, family fun activities, and more! No Pets or alcohol.
Tickets: $5-$10
November 2024 Texas Hot Air Balloon Festivals
• Farm-To-Table Dinner And Balloon Festival
November 25, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
This event is in the Heart of the Texas Hill Country (Fredericksburg) at Grapetown Vineyard and Farm at 8142 Old San Antonio Road, Fredericksburg, TX.
What to expect: Hot air balloon rides, safari wine tours, grape stomp, farm-to-table dinner, live music, and polo.
Tickets: $10-$290 plus online fees. Pre-paid parking is $10 and $20 at the gate – so buy your parking pass online. November Balloon Fest Tickets.
December 2024 Texas Hot Air Balloon Festivals
• Fredericksburg Farm to Table Dinner & Balloon Event
December 31, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Held at Grapetown Vineyard and Farm in Fredericksburg, TX.
Festival Highlights: Farm-to-table dinner, live music, Polo match, and wine tasting – followed by a Hot Air Balloon Glow and Rides.
Tickets: General Admission is $10. Other special activities are from $40-$290 (including a camping pass). Parking is $10 online or $20 at the gate. December Balloon Fest Tickets.
You may be interested in Texas Wine Festivals And Events
PIN IT!
The Hot Air Balloon “Race” Capitol of Texas is the Great Texas Balloon Race, having originated in 1978 and for the years of 2023-2025 will be hosting the United States National Championships! (the best in the United States!) It will be at the Longview Convention Center and Fair Grounds. Photography Magazine lists it as the place to be for excellent photography and excitement.
Great, thank you. This event is noted in the article. It’s going to be a fabulous event for al!
see above
I didn’t know they offered hot air balloon rides! That’s something that’s been on my bucket list for years! Now that I know I can do it here just a few hours from home, I’ve added it to next year’s plan.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. I’ve done it now twice – both in New Mexico. Some festivals do offer rides while some will only offer tethered rides – which means the balloon will only go up so high and then come right back down. It’s not as fun as a full on hot air balloon ride. I recommend it to everyone!