Plano Balloon Fest

RISE & SHINE WITH HOT AIR BALLOONS & PILOTS SEPT 18-21

Rise & Shine and have a good time with more than 30 hot air balloons at the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival on September 18-21. Among the special shapes includes Ms. Autumn that is a giant pumpkin with a massive green stem, and Barnstormer that features a cow, horse, pig, farmer and silo; representing the American farmers that feed our great nation. Voluntold is a historical nod to the first balloon flight in 1783 and pilot Gary Moore has incorporated a sheep, duck and rooster into the design to honor the passengers who originally flew and safely landed. Ziggy the Raccoon is ready for adventure, Bud E Beaver weighs 700 pounds, and fans will adore seeing Lovebirds, Fire Dog, and Police Dog on the field.

H-E-B Hot Air Balloon pilot Amie Cato at the Plano Balloon Festival — **H-E-B**
Pilot: Amie Cato
Paris, Texas

Central Market Whisked Away hot air balloon with pilot Matt Robison of Fort Worth Texas — **H-E-B**
Pilot: Amie Cato
Paris, Texas

**POLICE DOG**
Pilot: Brian Chase
Moscow, Pennsylvania

**BARNSTORMER**
Pilot: David Adler
Belgrade, Montana

Ziggy the Raccoon Hot Air Balloon at the Plano Balloon Festival — **BARNSTORMER**
Pilot: David Adler
Belgrade, Montana

TICKETS ON SALE

Tickets are officially on sale for the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival that is themed to “Rise & Shine” on September 18-21. The four-day weekend has exciting new attractions featuring Portillo’s 32-foot long Beef Bus® and a Classic Car Show including Oldsmobile, Chevy, Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac. Thomas J. Henry Law, the largest personal injury law firm in Texas, is sponsoring the Spectacular Pyrotex Fireworks Show on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Families can explore the Whataburger Kids Korner Free Art Tent located in the Central Market Kids Fun Zone full of inflatables, slides and rides. Watch the RE/MAX sky divers land on the field, take a tethered ride in a hot air balloon, or climb in the front seat of the ultimate driving machine courtesy of BMW of Plano.

Admission and parking fees are as follows:

$10 General Admission
$5 Kids Ages 3-12
$5 Seniors 65 and Over
FREE for Kids 36” and Under
FREE for Military and First Responders (with valid ID)
$10 Off-site Parking and $15 Prime Parking
$20 All Day Kids Fun Zone Ride Wristband
$50 VIP Plano Symphony Orchestra Concert

Festival Dates & Hours
September 18 – 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
September 19 – 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
September 20 – 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
September 21 – 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

H-E-B | CENTRAL MARKET PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL TO LIGHT UP THE SKY ON SEPT 19-22

The 2024 H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival is preparing to Light Up The Sky and celebrate 45 years of ballooning on September 19-22. More than 40 pilots with colorful hot air balloons and special shapes will participate throughout the Thursday to Sunday event, funded in part by the City of Plano, the official Balloon Capital of Texas. Since 1980 the Festival has remained dedicated to educating attendees about ballooning and offering other non-profits an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for their programs and services. The Festival additionally showcases approximately 55 vendors, 35+ corporate exhibitors, and more than 2,000 volunteers from across North Texas.

High In The Texas Sky Drone Show, RE/MAX Parachute Team, and Live Bands on Fox 4 Stage

The H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival entertainment will feature a drone show, parachute team sky divers, and live music all weekend. The newly added “High In The Texas Sky Drone Show” includes 200 drones by Sky Elements Drone Shows that is replacing the traditional fireworks show due to the continued burn ban in Collin County. Sky Elements recently achieved a Guiness World Records title and continues to spearhead the transition from fireworks to awe-inspiring drone shows. The drone performances will take place on September 22 and 23 on Friday and Saturday evenings, following the balloon* glow events.

2023 HOT AIR BALLOONS & PILOTS

A rainbow of colors, animals, and shapes will be flying High in the Texas Sky at the 2023 H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival on September 21-24! Lulu the leopard, Fire Dog, Mister Z, Daz the Whirling Rascal, and Spyder Pig are a few of the special shapes to be spotted among 37 hot air balloons. A Tethered Balloon Ride is a fun experience taking riders up in the air to hover 20-30 feet above the ground for several minutes. This is just the right amount of time to get the feeling of floating, take magical photos and videos, and check “ride in a hot air balloon” off your lifelong list of things to do.

The four-day weekend begins on Thursday, September 21 and continues through Sunday, September 24. TICKETS are available online or at the gate. General admission is $10 for adults, $5 – kids 3-12 years old, $5 – Seniors 65 and older, free for kids 36″ and under, and free for all Military and First Responders (with valid ID).

**MR. Z**
Pilot: Dan Stukas
Central, South Carolina

Big Red Again hot air balloon pilot Joseph Calabrette from Hickory Creek, Texas — **BIG RED AGAIN**
Pilot: Joseph Calabrette
Hickory Creek, Texas

**FIRE DOG**
Pilot: Brian Chase
Moscow, Pennsylvania

RE/MAX Pilot: Steven Lombardi Edgewood, Texas — **RE/MAX**
Pilot: Steven Lombardi
Edgewood, Texas

SPYDERPIG Pilot: Michael Celentano Allen, Texas — **SPYDERPIG**
Pilot: Matt Robison
Allen, Texas

STARDUST Pilot: Amanda Ibbotson-Sullivan Grand Prairie, Texas — **STARDUST**
Pilot: Mark Ibbotson
Grand Prairie, Texas

TICKETS ON SALE!

Tickets are officially on sale for the 2023 H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival as of Friday, July 14. The four-day event is September 21-24 and special shapes include: Mister Z, Fire Dog, Spider Pig, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Leopard, and Daz – the Whirling Rascal.

Admission, tickets and parking pricing are as follows:

$10 General Admission
$5 Kids Ages 3-12
$5 Seniors 65 and Over
FREE for Kids 36” and Under
$10 Off-site Parking and $15 Prime Parking
$20 All Day Kids Fun Zone Ride Wristband
$2.50 Per Ride Kids Fun Zone
$20 Kids Ages 6-12 Tethered Hot Air Balloon Ride
$30 Tethered Hot Air Balloon Ride
$50 VIP Plano Symphony Orchestra Concert

The H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival is continuing the collaboration with the Plano Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, September 21. A limited number of VIP Tickets are available for $50; and include prime parking at First United Methodist Church, Festival admission, special VIP reception at 6:00 p.m. and VIP seating for the 7:30 p.m. concert on the FOX 4 Main Stage.

H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival Soars “High In The Texas Sky”

The H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival is going to soar “High In The Texas Sky” on September 21-24. Opening day, Thursday, September 21 will showcase the Plano Symphony Orchestra’s family friendly concert on the FOX4 Main Stage. Hot air balloons will inflate and glow* after the sun sets at Oak Point Park where the flickering of flames will dance in the dark.

On Friday, September 22 the gates open at 4:00 p.m. and includes the RE/MAX Sky Diving Parachute Exhibition. Live entertainment by dance band Party Machine covers decades of hit music, the hot air balloon glow* is presented by RE/MAX, along with a spectacular fireworks show. Saturday, September 23 the gates open at 6:00 a.m. for a balloon launch* presented by Dos Equis, the official beer and hard seltzer sponsor of the festival. The Fox4 Main Stage features Ice House, an energetic party band of musicians, professional dancers, and dynamic singers. H-E-B and Central Market present the evening hot air balloon glow* at 7:00 p.m. followed by an amazing music choreographed fireworks show.

MAYOR PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 22-25 AS H-E-B | CENTRAL MARKET PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL DAYS

WHEREAS, in 1979 Jim and Haverly Marshall moved to Plano and set up the Balloon Academy of Texas. A love for hot air balloons inspired him to offer balloon rides to those attending the city’s 4th of July celebration, and this simple act led to the launch of the annual Plano Balloon Festival; and

WHEREAS, over the past four decades, the love of hot air balloons has grown exponentially in Plano. Citizens of all ages and visitors alike continue to be mesmerized by the many beautiful hot air balloons dotting the Plano skies each fall during the balloon festival. This signature event has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Plano and an untold multitude of local residents enjoy the privilege of watching the balloons from their own backyards, nearby parks and neighborhood gathering places over the years; and

2022 HOT AIR BALLOONS & PILOTS

Things are really looking up for the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival & Run and dozens of beautiful hot air balloons will participate in the 2022 activities. The special shapes include Zorro, Allycorn the Unicorn, Axel the Tiger, SpyderPig, Billy the Kid, Gizmo, and Airmadillo Cowboy. Take a Tethered Balloon Ride that lifts off the ground, hovers 20-30 feet above the ground for several minutes, but you won’t launch or fly away.

The festival is open September 22-25 and TICKETS are available online or at the gate. General admission is $10 for adults, $ 5 – kids 3-12 years old, $ 5 – Seniors 65 and older, free for kids 36″ and under, and free for all Military and First Responders (with valid ID).

Airmadillo Cowboy Pilot: Charlie Edwards Ft. Myers, Florida — **AIRMADILLO COWBOY**
Pilot: Charlie Edwards
Ft. Myers, Florida

Aris Pilot: Jason Provost Hurst, Texas — **ARIS**
Pilot: Jason Provost
Hurst, Texas

Axel Pilot: Craig Farrell Australia — **AXEL**
Pilot: Craig Farrell
Australia

Billy the Kid hot air balloon pilot Steven Stokoe from Lutz, Florida — **BILLY THE KID**
Pilot: Steven Stokoe
Lutz, Florida

10K, 5K, AND 1K FINISHER MEDALS FOR PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL RACES

The 2022 Plano Balloon Festival Races finisher medals will have you sliding and gliding into the finish line, to earn one of these air-tastic medals on September 24-25! Each race medal features 12 colorful hot air balloons and is set in antique silver. The 5K and 10K medals both feature a hot air balloon that slides up and down! The 1K and 5K medals are both 3″ and the 10K medal is 3 1/2″ in size.

Runner registration also includes complimentary parking at Collin College on race day and two tickets to the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival that may be used September 22-25. The gates open at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and free breakfast set-up for runners to enjoy before or after their race.

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