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Carolina BalloonFest
This event has ended.
These were the 2026 dates. The next dates will show here once the organizer announces them.
- When
- (3 days · Ended October 18, 2026)
- Where
- Statesville, NC
- Date source
- Organizer site · carolinaballoonfest.com
Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)
About this event
The Carolina BalloonFest takes over a launch field in Statesville, North Carolina, and is always set for the third full weekend in October. Five hot-air flights are scheduled across the weekend, with launches early in the morning and late in the afternoon, plus tether rides at various times. Three afternoon ascensions, Friday through Sunday from 4 to 5:30 p.m., lift off from the festival field, while two morning flyovers on Saturday and Sunday start around the Statesville area and pass over the field. A Balloonmeister and the pilots signal conditions with flags by the field: red means closed for free flight, yellow means hold, and green means open.
Our take: Arrive for the Saturday or Sunday morning flyover, with an 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. launch window, if you want balloons coming in from around Statesville, and watch the field flags before you expect a launch.
Parking
Bags are checked at entry. Large hard-shell coolers, alcohol, glass, weapons, drones, and pop-up canopies are not allowed. No pets except service animals.
Good to know
Lost and found is in the Guest Services Tent.
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USA Fest Bot is not affiliated with this event and sells no tickets. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site before you go (how dates work). See something wrong? Send a correction.