Plano Balloon Fest

2024 HOT AIR BALLOONS AND PILOTS

In celebration of our 45 years, the 2024 H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival is going to Light Up The Sky on September 19-22! This year includes 10 big-eared and smiling special shape hot air balloons: Annie the Ladybug, Larry the Bear, Flying Saucer, Ziggy, Amelia Bearhart, Mango the Seahorse, Purple People Eater, Gizzmo, Mr. Z and Haunted Mansion!

Yes, you can take a ride in a hot air balloon, but not fly away. Experience the sensation with a Tethered Ride that takes you up in the air hovering 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. Passengers must sign a waiver, be at least six years of age and rides are offered during the festival, weather permitting.

Opening day is Thursday, September 19 and the four-day festival weekend continues through Sunday, September 22. 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

**ZIGGY**
Pilot: Mike Fielding
Oak Point, Texas

**ANNIE THE LADYBUG**
Pilot: Michael Celentano
Frisco, Texas

**WHISK AWAY**
Pilot: Joshua Cato
Reno, Nevada

**AMELIA BEARHART**
Pilot: Michael Ford
Fort Worth, Texas

**GIZZMO**
Pilot: Matt Robison
Fort Worth, Texas

**LARRY THE BEAR**
Pilot: Brian Chase
Moscow, Pennsylvania

**MANGO THE SEAHORSE**
Pilot: Rollie Little
Glendale, Arizona

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).

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.

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

TICKETS ARE REALLY ON SALE FOR THE H-E-B | CENTRAL MARKET PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL & RUN

Tickets are really on sale as of June 15 for the 2022 H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival & Run that will be held September 22-25. General admission is $10 per person and tickets are $5 for children age 12 and under and seniors age 65 and up. Admission is free for children 36” and under and all Military and First Responders who present a valid ID. The Kids Fun Zone ride wristbands are $20 and include all day play on the inflatables and mechanical carnival rides. Individual ride tickets may be purchased for $2.50 each.

FESTIVAL WILL OPEN EARLY TO CELEBRATE THE PLANO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

The H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival & Run will open one day early to celebrate the Plano Symphony Orchestra’s 40^th Anniversary Season. The Festival will be opening to the public on Thursday, September 22 at 5:00 p.m. to kick-off the weekend with music, hot air balloons, festival food and vendors, along with the famous Central Market Kids Fun Zone. The special community concert begins at 7:00 p.m. and offers 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.

“We understand the importance of celebrating big anniversaries and welcoming the Plano Symphony Orchestra to the 2022 H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival & Run will mark the first time the Symphony has performed an outdoor, family friendly, community concert. We’re very excited to showcase the Plano Symphony Orchestra at this year’s Festival and can’t wait to be part of this wonderful evening.”
Jo Via, Executive Director of Plano Balloon Festival, Inc.

PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL NAMES CENTRAL MARKET AS NEW TITLE SPONSOR

Plano Balloon Festival, Inc. announces Central Market as the new title sponsor for the annual event set for Sept. 18-20, 2020. The three-day Festival, which began in 1980, has grown into the largest hot air balloon event in Plano and within the Lone Star State. The City of Plano is the Official Hot Air Balloon Capital of Texas and hosts more than 90,000 attendees during Festival weekend at Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve.

The Festival and Central Market are both passionate about creating unforgettable experiences for people within the community. Central Market initially stepped in as a sponsor of the Kids Fun Zone, then the Plano Balloon Festival Races, and in 2019 served event attendees fresh food, like their signature grilled cheese sandwiches from a food concession booth at the Festival.

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INTOUCH CREDIT UNION PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF BALLOONING

The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival is celebrating 40 years of ballooning in Plano during the three-day weekend that begins September 20. This annual festival is held in the City of Plano, proudly known as the Official Hot Air Balloon Capital of Texas. More than 85,000 guests are expected to attend this 40^th birthday party set in Plano’s largest park, the Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve.

“This is our birthday year and we are extremely excited about it! The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival brings in pilots from all around the country and offers our community a low-cost, family fun event. The City of Plano does an outstanding job of supporting this event each year.” says Executive Director, Jo Via.

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CHARITABLE SPIRITS LIFT UP THE PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL

Throughout the 39 years of producing this annual tradition within North Texas, the Plano Balloon Festival, Inc. has never experienced such a devastating loss. The Festival is not a large corporate entity, but rather a 501(c)3 non-profit organization led by 13 Board of Directors. The sadness, and significant economic loss, is shared with the 58 local non-profits, 75 vendors, dozens of sponsors, pilots, crew, and more than 5,000 volunteers who were committed to the event.

The Festival mission is to produce a family-oriented ballooning event to benefit the community. The objective is to also offer other non-profits an opportunity to assist with the operations of the Festival and raise funds. These agencies work the gates, parking lots, kids fun zone and the races. For their services these non-profits are compensated a portion of the revenue. However, this year they earned no money to apply towards their impactful programs within the community.

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