Hot air balloon festivals make one of the best summer road trips in Indiana. Whether you show up for a free evening glow or camp out at a full weekend festival with food, music and kid activities, these events deliver something most fairs just can’t match. Here are the 2026 Indiana hot air balloon festivals and balloon glows we have confirmed so far.
One thing to know before you go: balloon launches, glows and tethered rides are always weather dependent. Wind and storms can change the schedule fast, so check the organizer’s latest updates before you head out.
Related Page: Upcoming Fairs & Festivals near Indianapolis (2026)
2026 Indiana Hot Air Balloon Festivals and Balloon Glows
1. First Bloom & Glow
- Date: June 3, 2026
- Location: Richmond Rose Garden, Richmond
- Price: $40 for the ticketed fundraiser; the balloon glow is free and open to the public
First Bloom & Glow pairs a garden fundraiser with a balloon glow in one of the prettiest settings in the state. The dinner runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Richmond Rose Garden, balloons start setting up around 8 p.m. and the glow fires up around 9:15 p.m. You do not need dinner tickets to watch the glow. Bring a blanket and show up for the free public viewing later in the evening.
2. Hot Air Balloon Fly Out and Glow at the Allen County Fair
- Date: June 25, 2026
- Location: Allen County Fairgrounds, North Grounds, 2726 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne
- Price: Included with fair admission after 2 p.m.; gate admission is $10 for ages 6 and up, kids 5 and under are free, and parking is free
The Hot Air Balloon Fly Out and Glow returns to the Allen County Fair on Thursday night. The fly out starts at 7:30 p.m. and the glow follows at 9:30 p.m. Bring chairs or a blanket and plan for a low-key evening on the fairgrounds. There are no tethered rides this year, but families can walk inside a semi-inflated balloon for photos during a special walk-in window before the glow.
3. Hendricks County Rib-Fest & Balloon Glow
- Date: June 27, 2026
- Location: Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds, 1900 E. Main St., Danville
- Price: No admission fee; $10 parking per car
Hendricks County Rib-Fest & Balloon Glow is one of the closest balloon events for Indy-area families. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with barbecue, live entertainment, kids activities, a balloon glow starting around 8:45 p.m. and fireworks after dark. There are no tethered rides this year, but all the family activities are free once you are inside.
4. Angola Balloons Aloft
- Dates: July 10-11, 2026, with a final morning launch on July 12
- Location: Angola High School, Angola
- Price: Free admission and free parking
Angola Balloons Aloft is one of Indiana’s biggest balloon weekends, and it is completely free. Flights launch Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening, and Sunday morning, with illuminations both Friday and Saturday at twilight. A kids fun zone, food vendors and a Saturday classic car show round out the weekend. The event site also lists helicopter rides and an all-day bounce pass for the kids zone.
5. Fire Up DWNTWN
- Date: August 1, 2026
- Location: Downtown Muncie
- Price: Festival pricing varies by activity; tethered hot air balloon rides are $20
Fire Up DWNTWN takes over downtown Muncie from noon to 10 p.m. with special-shape balloons, tethered rides, twinkle baskets, a dusk glow show and fireworks. Add in food vendors, contests, kids activities and live music on multiple stages and this one plays more like a downtown street festival with balloons woven throughout.
6. Kiwanis Club Hot Air Balloon Festival
- Dates: August 28-29, 2026
- Location: West Boggs Park, 16117 US-231, Loogootee
- Price: Gate admission applies at the park; advance tickets are available online
The Kiwanis Indiana Balloon Fest moves to West Boggs Park for 2026. The two-day fundraiser pairs hot air balloons and tethered rides with pony rides, train rides, bounce houses, kids crafts, live music and vendors. If your family likes the idea of mixing a balloon festival with a lakeside park, this one is worth the drive.
7. Jupiter Flights Balloon Festival
- Dates: September 11-13, 2026
- Location: Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers
- Price: Ticket prices have not been posted yet; member presale begins July 28 and general admission goes on sale July 30
Jupiter Flights Balloon Festival returns to Conner Prairie for a big fall weekend of balloon competitions, nightly glows, food vendors, live music and family activities. Bring chairs and blankets to settle in for the evening. Guests cannot ride the festival balloons, but Conner Prairie’s 1859 Balloon Voyage offers the only on-site ride experience.
If weather grounds the balloons, Conner Prairie may shift to a glow or a ground-level twinkle experience instead of full flights. The museum does not offer refunds for weather changes but will apply ticket value toward other options if a full evening is canceled.
8. Terre Haute Balloon Festival
- Dates: September 25-26, 2026
- Location: Terre Haute Regional Airport, Terre Haute
- Price: Ticketed event; tethered balloon rides are $20 per person, cash only
The Terre Haute Balloon Festival rounds out the fall season with tethered rides, live music, an evening glow and a kids zone. A Saturday morning 5K at 8 a.m. sets this one apart from the other balloon weekends on the calendar. The kids zone is free once you are inside the event.
More Indiana hot air balloon events
Looking for more? Check our event calendar below for additional balloon events, glows and family festivals around Indiana.
[…] Read more – INDYSCHILD.COM […]