Activities Schedule

Festival Hours: August 9th and 10th - 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Fly-In Balloon Competitions: August 10th and 11th - 6:30 a.m. gates open, competition to follow.

All balloon activities are weather permitting and may be delayed. Balloon Glows are Friday and Saturday evenings starting at 8:15 p.m.

Tethered balloon rides, sponsored by Olathe Medical Center, will be available for $5 per person Friday and Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and at Saturday and Sunday morning competitions from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ALL BALLOON ACTIVITIES—FLYING, TETHERED AND GLOWING—ARE WEATHER PERMITTING. BALLOONS LIKE WINDS OF 5-8 MPH.

All military attractions including military vehicles, Homeland Security exhibits and vintage restored military vehicles will be open during festival hours 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday All KIDZ ZONE activities—face painting, tattoo artist, inflatables and the Kansas City Symphony Instrumental Petting Zoo* (4-7 p.m.) will be open Friday and Saturday 4-11 p.m.

All food and non-food vendors will be open during festival hours Friday and Saturday 4-11 p.m. Beer stations and wine tasting will be available throughout the festival.

KC Symphony Instrumental Petting Zoo

Friday, August 9

4:00pm - Festival GATES OPEN
4:00pm - 11:00pm Carnival, Vendors, Crafts, Kid’s Area and Inflatables*
*Kid’s Area & Inflatables close at 10:30 p.m.
4:30pm - 5:00pm Doughnut Eating Contest - Food Demo Area
5:15pm - Balloon Vans - Balloon Field
5:30pm - 6:00pm Charity Race Balloon Assignment Drawing - Main Stage
6:00pm - 10:00pm Tethered Balloon Rides - tethered balloon area behind kid’s area
6:15pm - 7:15pm Charity Challenge Balloon Race - Balloon Field
7:30pm - Special Shape Balloons Set Up - Balloon Field
7:45pm - 8:15pm Special Shape Balloon Glow; Sports Balloons arrive & inflate - Balloon Field
8:15pm - 9:00pm All Balloon Glow
9:00pm - 10:30pm Elders Band Performs - Main Stage
11:00pm - Festival Closes


Saturday, August 10

6:30am - GATES OPEN (THIS IS ONLY FOR 5K RACE WITH THE BALLOONS. NORMAL OPENING TIME FOR THE FESTIVAL IS 1:00 PM)
6:30am - 9:00am Balloon Fly-In Competitions - Balloons fly in to Balloon Field (FREE)
7:00am - 9:00am Tether Balloon Rides - Tether Balloon Area
7:30am - 9:30am 5K Race With the Balloons
9:30am - Awards Ceremony
1:00pm - Festival Gates Open
1:00pm - 1:45pm KC Ukesters (ukulele group) - Main Stage
1:00pm - 11:00pm Carnival, Vendors, Crafts, Kid’s Area and Inflatables*
*Kid’s Area & Inflatables close at 10:30 p.m.
1:45pm - 2:30pm American Legion Band - Front of Main Stage
2:30pm - 5:45pm KC Kite Flying Club - Balloon Field
6:00pm - Balloon set up for Derby Drop - Balloon Field by Main Stage
6:00pm - 10:00pm Tether Balloon Rides - Tether Balloon Area
6:30pm - Ping Pong Derby Drop - Balloon Field
6:30pm - 7:15pm Balloon Fly-In - Over Balloon Field
7:15pm - 7:45pm Special Shape Balloons Set-Up and Glow
7:45pm - 8:15pm Sports Balloons take the field & set-up for Glow
8:15pm - 9:00pm All Balloon Glow - Balloon Field
9:00pm - 10:30pm Scott Peery Band - Main Stage
11:00pm - Festival Closes

Balloon Competitions

Saturday, August 10th
Sunday, August 11th

6:30 a.m. Gates Open

7:00-8:30 a.m. - FLY-IN BALLOON COMPETITIONS

Competitions are free and will also provide free Roasterie coffee and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. If you want to see balloons fly and compete (weather permitting), come out early and have fun!