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