About the Lancaster Balloon Festival

About the 2024 Festival

The 2023 Lancaster Hot Air Balloon Festival is again coming to Lancaster County PA on September 14-17. Every year the county sees an influx of visitors for this popular festival. Promising the perfect event for aeronautical nuts or families looking for the perfect way to enjoy Lancaster County for a weekend, guests can enjoy Lancaster County’s horizon bathed in a rainbow of technicolor balloons. 

The festival promises a weekend of fun activities for the whole family as well as the opportunity to get to know the people and businesses that make Lancaster county so very special. 

2024 Schedule of Events*

View Festival Map

Thursday, September 12th

• 7:00 AM — Media Flight: 5-10 Hot Air Balloons with local media to promote the event
• 3:00 PM — Gates Open: Stage begins, hay rides, bounce houses, kids tent, food and drinks, tethered rides WEATHER DEPENDANT***
• 5:00 PM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch: Hot Air Balloons launch and fly away from the event field
• 8:00 PM — Balloon Glow: Hot Air Balloons Return to the launch field and set up in the dark to “glow”

Friday, September 13th

• 7:00 AM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch
• 3:00 PM — Gates open: Stage begin, hay rides, bounce houses, kids tent, food and drinks, tethered rides WEATHER DEPENDANT***
• 5:00 PM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch: Hot Air Balloons launch and fly away from the event field
• 8:00 PM — Balloon Glow: Hot Air Balloons Return to the launch field and setup in the dark to “glow”

Saturday, September 14th

• 7:00 AM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch
• 1:00 PM — Gates open: Stage begins, hay rides, bounce houses, kids tent, food and drinks, tethered rides WEATHER DEPENDANT***
• 5:00 PM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch: Hot Air Balloons launch and fly away from the event field
• 8:00 PM — Balloon Glow: Hot Air Balloons Return to the launch field and set up in the dark to “glow”
• 9:00 PM — Fireworks Show: Sit back and enjoy beautiful fireworks overhead to round out the night

Sunday, September 15th – Community Day Free Admission

• 7:00 AM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch
• 3:00 PM — Gates open: No Stage, NO bounce houses, NO Kids Tent, food and drinks available, tethered rides available WEATHER DEPENDANT***
• 5:00 PM — Mass Ascension Balloon Launch: Hot Air Balloons launch and fly away from the event field
• 7:00 PM — Event Closes

*Schedule of events is subject to change.

About Bird-in-Hand, PA

Situated along the AAA scenic byway stretch of Route 340, the village of Bird-in-Hand began its history as a place where farmers met to converse and do business.

You’ll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Bird-in-Hand, from tours to shopping to Amish attractions and buggy rides. The village is also located just a short drive from other nearby towns and attractions, like Intercourse and Strasburg.

Bird-in-Hand offers the flavors of Pennsylvania Dutch culture and history via its restaurants, bakeries, quaint local shops, and an old-fashioned farmers’ market packed with fresh foods, handmade crafts, and homegrown produce. In fact, this market resulted in Bird-in-Hand being designated a “market town.”

Right in Bird-in-Hand’s backyard is picturesque sprawling countryside dotted with neighboring Amish farms. Luckily, there are a myriad of Amish attractions to admire the landscape.

One event that is unique to the village is the Bird-in-Hand Half-Marathon and 5K. This includes either a half marathon or a 5k race for athletic people or hot air balloon rides to those who prefer to relax and enjoy the breathtaking view from a distance. Another fun event is the Lancaster County Carriage & Antique Auction in June, which auctions off fine carriages, miniature horses, and all sorts of antiques, furniture, quilts, and more. If you want to bring home a piece of Lancaster, this auction is a great time to do so!

A Short History of the Festival

The Lancaster Balloon Festival began in 2010 as a partnership with the Bird-in-Hand Marathon in an event called Run, Ride, and Soar.

Fortunately, both events have grown to a point where they can no longer be held at the same time at the Bird-in-Hand location. So, we are partnering with the Smucker Corporation and the local community to make this year’s Lancaster Balloon Festival better than ever. As a result of separating the events into their own, it opens up some great possibilities for sponsorship from businesses looking to get their brand in front of an engaged audience both online and in-person at the event.

In the past, we had not done much marketing for the event but for the 2019 event, we created a Facebook page and did a minimal amount of promotion and the event exceeded all expectations. We admittedly were overwhelmed by the response and this year is going to have much more infrastructure and entertainment in place.

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