| Hot Air BalloonEvents.org | |||||
| Oh dear! Many of these events won't be going ahead because of the coronavirus pandemic. Please check before you travel | |||||
| Comprehensive, up-to-date, free listing of hot air balloon events, fiestas and festivals for balloon enthusiasts, | |||||
| pilots, crews and the public here in Britain & abroad | |||||
| UK & Worldwide Hot Air Balloon Festival 51 Listings Updated 2 April 2020 | |||||
| For inclusion here, please email details of your event to | info@balloonevents.org | ||||
| To see past balloon events, please click here | |||||
| 2020 | |||||
| Date | What | Where | Organiser Details/Contact | Notes | |
| 2-5 April | International Mercat del Ram Trophy | Vic, Barcelona, Spain | miquel@balotour.com | ||
| 3-5 April | Philippines Balloon Festival | Lubao, Philippines | www.lubaoibmf.com | ||
| 4-5 April | New Beginnings Meet | Wolverley, Worcs, UK | steph_bareford11@yahoo.co.uk | ||
| 9-13 April | Wairarapa Balloon Festival | Wairarapa, New Zealand | www.nzballoons.co.nz | ||
| 10-13 April | Easter Training Meet | Nr Skipton, Yorks, UK | www.nwbac.com/meets | ||
| 23-25 April | Kentucky Derby Great Balloon Fest | Louisville, KY, US | discover.kdf.org/bbt-great-balloonfest/ | ||
| 24-25 April | Augusta Hot Air Balloon Festival | Augusta, GA, US | balloonshows,com | ||
| 25th April | BBM&L Inflation Day | Pidley, Cambs, UK | www.britishballoonmuseum.org.uk | ||
| 1-2 May | Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival | Foley, AL, US | gulfcoastballoonfestival.com | ||
| 1-3 May | Balloons over Russellville | Russellville, AR, US | balloonsoverrussellville.com | ||
| 7-10 May | Ribble Valley Meet | Clitheroe, Lancs, UK | www.nwbac.com/meets | ||
| 9-10 May | Telford Balloon Fiesta | Telford, Shropshire UK | lorna.a.h@googlemail.com | ||
| 15-17 May | Flying Man of Pocklington | Pocklington, Yorks, UK | www.prba.org.uk | ||
| 20-24 May | Belgian Balloon Trophy | Vielsalm, Belgium | bbt2020.balloonfederation.be | ||
| 22-25 May | Wrenbury Meet | Nantwich, Cheshire UK | www.nwbac.com | ||
| 23-24 May | Alabama Jubilee Balloon Classic | Decatur, AL, US | www.alabamajubilee.net | ||
| 23-26 May | Skyhigh Isle of Wight | Newport, Isle of Wight, UK | adam@bloon.co.uk | ||
| 29-31 May | Midlands Air Festival | Alcester, Warks, UK | www.midlandairfestival.com | ||
| 29-31 May | Temecula Valley Balloon Festival | California, US | www.tvbwf.com | ||
| 3-6 June | Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race | Helen, GA, US | www.helenballoon.com | ||
| 5-7 June | Henge Hoppers Meet | Bedale, N Yorks, UK | www.prba.org.uk | ||
| 10-14 June | Bonn Balloon Festival | Bonn, Germany | www.ballonfestival-bonn.de | ||
| 19-21 June | Cheltenham Balloon Fiesta | Cheltenham, Gloucs, UK | balloontyrrell@btinternet.com | ||
| 19-21 June | Midsummer Madness (tbc) | Penrith, UK | www.nwbac.com | ||
| 19-21 June | Great Texas Balloon Race | Longville, TX,US | www.greattexasballoonrace.com | ||
| 26-28 June | White Horse Meet | Thirsk, N Yorks, UK | www.prba.org.uk | ||
| 27-28 June | Sonoma County Balloon Classic | Santa Rosa, CA, US | www.schabc.org | ||
| 3-5 July | Northampton Town Festival | Northants, UK | balloontyrrell@btinternet.com | ||
| 8-12 July | Friese Ballonfeesten | Joure, Netherlands | www.ballonfeesten.nl | ||
| 18-19 July | Paris Balloon & Music Festival | Paris, TX, US | parisballoonandmusicfestival.com | ||
| 18-19 July | Staffordshire Balloon Festival | Uttoxeter, Staffs, UK | balloontyrrell@btinternet.com | ||
| 24-26 July | New Jersey Festival of Ballooning | Readington, US | www.balloonfestival.com | ||
| 26 July - 9 Aug | Italian Grand Prix | Todi/Sagrantino, Italy | Inx.sagrantinocup.it | ||
| 6-9 August | Bristol Balloon Fiesta | Bristol, UK | www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk | ||
| 14-16 August | Mosel Balloon Fiesta | Trier, Germany | www.moselballonfiesta.de | ||
| 14-16 August | Oxford Balloon Festival (tbc) | Oxford, UK | balloontyrrell@btinternet.com | ||
| 28-30 August | Strathaven Balloon Festival | Strathaven, Scotland | www.strathavenballoonfestival.co.uk | ||
| 28-31 August | Lake District Meet | Newby Bridge, Cumbria, UK | www.nwbac.com | ||
| 29-30 August | Oswestry Balloon Carnival | Oswestry, Shropshire, UK | oswestrycarnival@gmail.com | ||
| 3-7 September | Festival de Montgolfieres de Gatineau | Gatineau, Canada | www.montgolfieresgatineau.com | ||
| 4-12 September | Warsteiner International Montgolfiade | Warstein, Germany | warsteiner-wim/de | ||
| 17-26 September | Hot & Fun Fiesta | Murska Sobota, Slovenia | www.hotairballoons2020.com | ||
| 18-19 September | Great Forest Park Balloon Race | St Louis, Missouri, US | greatforestparkballoonrace.com | ||
| 19-20 September | Royal County of Berkshire Show | Newbury, Berks, UK | events3440@hotmail.com | ||
| 19-26 September | FAI World Championship | Murska Sobota, Slovenia | www.hotairballoons2020.com | ||
| 25-27 September | Splash & Dash Meet | York, UK | www.prba.org.uk | ||
| 3-11 October | Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta | Albuquerque, US | balloonfiesta.com | ||
| 9-11 October | One Man Meet | Tenbury Wells, Worcs, UK | onemanmeet@btinternet.com | ||
| 9-11 October | Autumn Glow Meet | Hibaldstow, Yorks, UK | www.prba.org.uk | ||
| 16-18 October | Carolina BalloonFest | Statesville, NC, USA | www.carolinaballoonfest.com | ||
| 6-8 November | 38th Puy Balloon Festival | Le Puy en Velay, France | guerin.jm43@orange.fr | ||
| 13-15 November | Humber Bridge Meet | South Cave, Yorks, UK | www.prba.org.uk | ||
| If you are organising a non-ballooning show and would like balloons 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 a nightglow: 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 for the public 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. It's no fun trying to dry 100ft or so of soggy nylon in your living room! 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. A very famous saying in aviation is: It's better to be down here wishing you were up there than up there wishing you were down here! | |||||
| 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! | |||||
| also checkout | |||||
| www.kentmicrolightclub.co.uk | |||||
| www.kmac.flyingadverts.com | |||||
| www.balloonbaskethire.flyingadverts.com | |||||
| www.chilston.co.uk | |||||