A high-flying adventure for everyone – From the air or the ground!
Are you a local looking for a fun activity for the family?
From out of town and looking for a unique way to experience Lancaster?
Or... Are you a balloon junkie that can’t get enough?
Come experience the magic of dozens of technicolored balloons lifting off to dot the Lancaster County horizon.
The Lancaster Balloon Festival Experience
Book A Flight With A Balloon Pilot
Book A Shared or Private Balloon Flight with one of the many certified commercial pilots and join in the action as you float over the beautiful Lancaster County landscape and Amish farmlands.
Watch The Spectacle From The Ground
Spend the weekend with us and watch the Hound & Hare Race, Balloon Fly-ins, float in a tethered balloon ride, see the magic of glows, or participate in our scavenger hunt or photo competition.
Lancaster Balloon Festival Hightlights
Balloon Rides & Flights - AM & PM Launches
Become part of the scenery and take an amazing journey in a hot air balloon over beautiful Lancaster County. Spend an hour taking in the rural sites of Intercourse, New Holland, Strasburg, Ephrata, and the Reading skyline. On a clear day, you might even see the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay! As your balloon ride comes to an end, you’ll often meet farmers and see children chasing you barefoot in the fields, waving at the marvelous site.
Balloon flights will launch at approximately 6AM and 5PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Starting at $225 (book ride)
- $225 - Shared Friday AM
- $250 - Shared Friday PM through Sunday PM
- $750 - Private Friday AM
- $850 - Private Friday PM through Sunday PM
Hound & Hare Race & Balloon Fly-in
Saturday & Sunday at 6AM
Experience this traditional ballooning Hound & Hare Race as a single balloon takes off before the rest as the remaining give chase and try to catch up. When the first balloon reaches its final destination, they will drop a marker to the ground and the chasing balloons test their stills to land as close to the mark as they can.
The fun doesn’t stop there – As the first set of racers take off from the festival grounds, the second set of racers will giving chase toward the festival grounds. Spectators will get to see both launch and landing of these highly skilled balloon teams.
Balloon Chasing – If you are more of the adventurous type and want to experience the gentle, winding back-country roads and lanes of Lancaster County, you can even chase after the balloon teams.
Tethered Balloon Rides
Saturday & Sunday Afternoon ($10/child - $15/adult)
Not ready to fly off in a balloon, but still want to share in the excitement? On Saturday and Sunday afternoon we'll be offering tethered balloon rides so you can gently float up and securely land after spending a few minutes in the air.
#LancBalloonFest Photo Competition
Tag your photos on social media with the hashtag #LancBalloonFest for a chance to win two Any Time Flight Tickets from the US Hot Air Balloon Team. Tickets will be for the value of a shared balloon ride from our Lancaster location.
Nighttime Balloon Glows (Friday & Saturday)
Once the sun goes down, our balloonists will be back on the launch site to fire up their balloons. But, instead of floating away they will stay on the ground as they blast their burners and light up their balloons.
In addition to this magical site, you can join us by the fireside and make a complimentary Smore!
Book Your Flight Here
Tour Lancaster County's Amish Country - From Above!
Lancaster Balloon Festival Daily Schedule
*Schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions. Please sign up for email updates here.
Friday Morning
- Free Parking
- AM Hot Air Balloon Rides (book ride) - Launch time: approx. 7:00 AM
Friday Night
- Free Parking
- PM Hot Air Balloon Rides (book ride) - Launch time: approx. 5:00 PM
- Bonfire and smores
- Hot Air Balloon Glow and sky lantern launch
Saturday Morning
- Free Parking
- AM Hot Air Balloon Rides & Hound and Hare Race + Fly-in (book ride) - Launch time: approx. 7:00 AM
- NOTE – This event is part of the Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon race. Be prepared for heavier traffic due to runners preparing for the start of the race.
Saturday Afternoon
- Parking: $10/car
- PM Hot Air Balloon Rides (book ride) - Launch time: approx. 5:00 PM
- Tethered Balloon Rides (starting at 4pm): $10/child - $15/adult
- Featuring local food trucks
- Hot Air Balloon Glow and sky lantern launch
Sunday Morning
- Free Parking
- AM Hot Air Balloon Rides & Hound and Hare Race + Fly-in (book ride) - Launch time: approx. 7:00 AM
Sunday Afternoon
- Parking: $10/car
- PM Hot Air Balloon Rides (book ride) - Launch time: approx. 5:00 PM
- Tethered Balloon Rides (starting at 4pm): $10/child - $15/adult
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