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 CarolinaZIGGY Pilot: Mike Fielding Oak Point, TexasANNIE THE LADYBUG Pilot: Michael Celentano Frisco, Texas
H-E-B Pilot: Amie Cato Reno, TexasWHISK AWAY Pilot: Joshua Cato Reno, NevadaAMELIA BEARHART Pilot: Michael Ford Fort Worth, Texas
GIZZMO Pilot: Matt Robison Fort Worth, TexasLARRY THE BEAR Pilot: Brian Chase Moscow, PennsylvaniaMANGO THE SEAHORSE Pilot: Rollie Little Glendale, Arizona
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.
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 Pilot: Joseph Calabrette Hickory Creek, Texas
FIRE DOG Pilot: Brian Chase Moscow, Pennsylvania
RE/MAX Pilot: Steven Lombardi Edgewood, Texas
SPYDERPIG Pilot: Matt Robison Allen, Texas
STARDUST Pilot: Mark Ibbotson Grand Prairie, Texas
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.
Ascend into Spring and sign-up for early runner registration for the Plano Balloon Festival Races. Early registration for the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1K, Elevate Challenge, and Sky High Challenge ends on March 31st. Starting in April the prices increase up to $15 more per distance.
The Plano Balloon Festival Races will be held Saturday, September 21, 2019 and Sunday, September 22, 2019 at the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival. The race location is at Oak Point Park and the Course Maps give details about water stations, starting/finish lines, mile markers and restrooms.
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.
In the 39 years of producing the beloved Plano Balloon Festival, we have steadfastly measured success on two fronts – the number of people we are able to wow with the beauty of hot air balloons, and the dollars raised by the non-profits who rely on the success of the festival to meet their annual fundraising goals. Sadly, mother nature took it upon herself to intervene, and 2018 will not go down as a banner year on either front.
A three-day outdoor festival in Texas is a wildly ambitious endeavor, but we are not deterred. Our mission is to provide nonprofit agencies an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for their programs and services, which ultimately enhances the quality of life for all North Texans. The Festival has circulated more than 3 million dollars back into the Collin County and Plano community. Supporters and friends of the Festival, people like you, choose to give through corporate sponsorship, ticket purchase or race participation so we can hold true to our mission year-after-year.
The RE/MAX of Texas Parachute Team is scheduled for daily exhibitions that involve jumping out of an airplane, gliding down to the field, and landing in front of thousands of cheering fans. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. you’ll want to make your way to the field for this adventurous experience at the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival being held September 21-23, 2018 at Oak Point Park.
This attraction is included with admission into the three-day weekend that also includes a fireworks show, two nights of concerts on the KLUV Main Stage and more than 50 hot air balloons! The full schedule detailing all the activities may be found here on the website. The gates open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 21, kids 36″ and under receive free entry and general Tickets are $10 per person or $20 for the weekend pass.
Watch this beautiful video of the RE/MAX of Texas Parachute Team posted on our YouTube channel! #PlanoBalloon
In 1998, a hot air balloon came to rest on a quiet street in Murphy, TX. Trevor Laswell was only seven years old and this captured his attention. He expressed his interest in wanting to get involved with ballooning to the pilot, who referred him to crew training at the Plano balloon festival. That same year, Laswell took his first ride in a balloon with Suzanne and Don Smith in their balloon Hours Stars. Laswell’s father, Steve Laswell, was the festival’s volunteer coordinator at the time helped get the young Laswell involved.
Laswell has been involved with the Plano Balloon Festival for 20 years, most recently serving on the balloon operations team, which ensures the safety of the pilots and spectators and assists with all the details of the actual balloons. He’s come a long way since he was seven. Continue reading “TWENTY-YEAR VOLUNTEER REMEMBERS THE BEST OF THE PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL”
Camp Gladiator has partnered with the Plano Balloon Festival Races to help runners when they pick-up race packets on September 15 and 16 at Academy Sports and Outdoors at 4045 N. Central Expressway in Plano. Runners who are already registered for the Plano Balloon Festival Races can pick-up race packets from Camp Gladiator representatives between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm.
There is no race day registration or packet pick-up. Additional packet dates are as follows:
Thursday, Sept 20 – 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Friday, Sept 21 – 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday, Sept 22 – 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Plano Event Center, Spring Glade Room, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074
Camp Gladiators will work alongside the Plano Balloon Festival Races to promote health, fitness and being outdoors. Camp Gladiator is a four-week outdoor group fitness program. Each workout or “Camp” is a 60 minute, full-body workout incorporating both cardio and strength training. The mission of Camp Gladiator is to positively impact the physical fitness and ultimately the lives of as many people as possible.
Camp Gladiator Members In Training Session in Plano, Texas
“Exercising outside has so many benefits to exercising inside. When you’re outside, your body is having to work with so many external elements – temperature, wind, dynamic surfaces, etc.,”says Camp Gladiator partner trainer Becky Leverett. “When you challenge your body with an unstable environment, your muscles and brain are constantly having to react and re-adjust which makes it hard for the body and brain to ever become complacent and bored.”
Runners and walkers of every fitness level will have the opportunity to connect with nature, get some fresh air, and see the soaring balloons festival weekend. The 1K fun run and 5k are on Saturday, September 22 and the 10k and Half Marathon run on Sunday, September 23. Registration is online only. Camp Gladiator trainers are prepared to lead the pre-run warm-ups both days, and be on site all weekend at the festival to connect with the Plano community and encourage active lifestyles.
“Our bodies are capable of so much more than we give it credit for,” says Leverett. “I challenge every person to step outside of their comfort zone and run that race or attend a camp.”
Camp Gladiator is the largest adult outdoor fitness program in the Nation and DFW Metroplex. Those ready for more outdoor fitness opportunities can find more than 50 Plano-area Camp Gladiator programs at CampGladiator.com for all local camps or connect with Leverett via email beckyleverett@campgladiator.com with any questions.
General registration for the Plano Balloon Festival Races ends August 31 and online registration for the Challenges closes at Noon on Friday, September 21 and the Half Marathon and 10K race registration closes at Noon on Saturday, September 22. The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival is a three day weekend starting September 21 and continuing until Sunday, September 23, 2018 at Oak Point Park in Plano, TX. Advance tickets are available online at www.planoballoonfest.org or at participating InTouch Credit Union locations starting September 1. #PBFRaces #PlanoBalloon
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