Mark your calendar, for the weekend of September 22, 23, 24 and 25 because the Balloon Festival is BACK! After a 2-year hiatus due to COVID, this large family-friendly community event will return to Red Tail Pavilion/Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve.
The Festival will be opening on Thursday, September 22 at 5:00 p.m. to kick off the weekend with a special Plano Symphony Orchestra community concert at 7:00 pm, offering families the opportunity to enjoy the orchestra in an outdoor setting while the hot air balloons glow in the background. The music will include pieces from films like Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Magnificent Seven, Silverado and favorites from James Bond films.
The gates open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 23, and the fun continues through Sunday, September 25. The RE/MAX of Texas Parachute Team will jump out of an airplane and glide down onto the balloon launch field. You will want to catch the kaleidoscope of colors with the balloon activities (weather permitting) that take place early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The balloon glows on Friday and Saturday nights are a must-see, the balloons look like giant colored light bulbs as they glow against the darkening sky. Friday and Saturday nights, guests will be amazed by the spectacular fireworks show that splashes across the sky in Oak Point Park. Friday Night Party Machine, an Emerald City Band, will have the FOX4 Main Stage rocking and Saturday night attendees will be ‘keeping the beat’ with the Moving Colors drum line, so plan to party all evening. The Kids Fun Zone is a mini carnival adventure with rides, inflatable slides, craft stations and more.
Tickets to the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival & Run are available online at www.planoballoonfest.org or at the onsite gates. In an effort to improve the Festival experience we are offering a much quicker CASHLESS payment process. Admission tickets, parking lots and kids fun zone ride tickets must be processed with Apple pay, a credit card or debit card.
If you’re looking for an option to see the Festival from above, tethered hot air balloon rides are offered (weather permitting) and tickets are sold on-site only; $30 for adults and $20 for children ages 6-12; cash only. All passengers are required to sign a waiver and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The hot air balloon can accommodate 10 - 12 passengers for each flight that hovers 20 - 30 feet above the ground but does not fly away.
For those looking to pick up the pace, the Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1K, and Challenges are scheduled for September 24-25. The opportunity to run with hot-air balloons overhead (weather permitting) is a unique sight for those on the racecourse! Runner registration for the races may be found at www.pbfraces.org.
If you’re searching for the best fair food, we have it! Thanks to the participation of over 30
food concessionaires, no one should leave hungry. We’re proud to welcome Dos XX to
the Festival this year. For the first time in the history of the Festival, beer and seltzer will
be available.
The H-E-B- | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival is organized and designed to provide entertainment for the entire family. Join us in making those memories this year.
