Plano Balloon Fest

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

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

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.

HALF MARATHON MEDAL IS A HOT SLIDER!

The 2022 Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon Medal is a hot slider that features 12 colorful hot air balloons! Things are REALLY looking up is the theme for the festival this year and the finisher medals are floating high in the sky as a custom reward for runners to earn and enjoy. The concept for the design includes movement of one hot air balloon allowing it to ascend and descend with a simple slide up or down.

ROYAL RACE SHIRTS REVEALED

The 2022 Plano Balloon Festival race shirts are officially revealed to be a royal blue topflight heather tee with an artistic hot air balloon floating above the trail. The moisture wicking fabric on the high performance gender specific race shirts also provide seasonal comfort for the hot Texas weather that hits in early Fall. All adult runners registered for the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1K, Elevate Challenge and Sky High Challenge will receive this shirt in a size of their choice. Children age 12 and under signed up for the 1K super fun run receive a cape!

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.

ZOE WHITE CREWS FOR PEG LEG PETE THE PIRATE PARROT

Hot air balloon crew volunteers assist out-of-town pilots at the Plano Balloon Festival. Zoe White is a local resident that signed up in 2019 and was assigned to help with Peg Leg Pete the Pirate Parrot hot air balloon. Zoe is a Plano Senior High School graduate and enjoys sharing photography on her Instagram account SweetAzurePhotos.

SOAR TO LEGACY WEST FOR FREE FESTIVAL TICKETS

If you like to fly where the wind blows then you’ll want to soar to Legacy West on Thursday, September 5th for an uplifting photo in their “Big Sky” balloon! The Plano Balloon Festival team will be on-site to greet and answer questions about the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival coming up September 20-22, 2019. We’ll also be there giving away two free tickets to each person who snaps a selfie between 11:00 a.m. and Noon (limited quantity while they last during this promotional event).

The Big Sky Balloon photo op is located directly across from Neighborhood Goods in Legacy West on Windrose Avenue. Directions and a map with parking garages provide more information for easy access to the location.

View this post on Instagram

#Repost @visitplano ・・・ Join us at the “Big Sky” in Legacy West as we kick off our celebration of 40 years of ballooning at the Plano Balloon Festival! Come by on Thursday, September 5 at 11:00 a.m. and take a photo in the balloon photo op to win tickets to the festival. Click link in bio! The Plano Balloon Festival is scheduled for September 20 – 22, 2019 at Oak Point Park, 2801 E Spring Creek Parkway, Plano TX 75074! #planoballoon #planoballoonfestival #loveplano #visitplano #pbfraces #plano #planotx #planotexas

A post shared by Plano Balloon Festival Inc. (@planoballoon) on Aug 28, 2019 at 4:20pm PDT

Visit Plano is also giving away an exciting weekend package that includes: a 1-night stay at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Plano/Richardson, 4 tickets to the festival, VIP parking, a $50 restaurant gift card, and a picnic basket full of goodies.

InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival Celebrating 40 Years Of Ballooning

SPECIAL SHAPE HOT AIR BALLOONS & PILOTS

Among the more than 50 hot air balloons at the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival you’ll find a handful of special shapes that evoke love, joy, swashbuckling fun, and even make you meow.

Celebrating 40 Years of Ballooning in Plano, we proudly share these as the beloved special shapes and pilots participating in 2019. And if you’d like to volunteer to get a hands-on experience with the balloons then sign-up for a shift with a hot air balloon crew. Volunteers help with inflation, lift-off, landings, the evening glow, and receive a free festival shirt.

BIMBO BEAR – PILOT: JOHN PETREHN

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PILOT STEVE JONES BALLOONING FOR 43 YEARS AROUND THE WORLD

You could say it was love at first flight. Steve Jones’ father attended the US National Balloon Championships in Indianola, Iowa, in 1976, working on a balloon crew and then riding in the balloon. He called Steve on his way home, raving about the experience and trying to convince Steve to partner with him and buy a balloon. Steve was certain that his dad had lost his mind; nevertheless, he consented and soon thereafter he was hooked on the experience. He earned his pilot’s license, a requirement for balloon piloting, and became a member of the ballooning community, enjoying the camaraderie and the competitions.

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BITTEN BY THE BALLOONING BUG

They say time flies when you’re having fun. It certainly must, because it’s been over 30 years since his first flight, and Michael Scott is still having fun. In October 1987, Scott and his family visited the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta while on vacation.

“We found a balloon that we had seen flying [back home] in Oklahoma City and crewed for them that week. My father got a short flight during that week, and he was bitten by the ballooning bug. We bought our first balloon about six weeks later,” recalls Scott.

Continue reading “BITTEN BY THE BALLOONING BUG”

BIMBO BEAR – PILOT: JOHN PETREHN

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