Every September, the Lake George Region takes family fun to new heights with the Adirondack Balloon Festival. Locals and visitors alike watch in awe as 70+ hot air balloons take to the skies above the Adirondack Mountains, and enjoy craft and food vendors, kids’ activities, and live entertainment. Held annually over four days, this free event is easily one of the Lake George Region’s most popular fall activities.
History of the Adirondack Balloon Festival
The Adirondack Balloon Festival is a not-for-profit entity, founded by Walter and Joan Grishkot in the early 1970s. The very first Festival was held in 1973 on the campus of Adirondack Community College, now SUNY Adirondack. As the event grew in size, it was moved to Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury, NY, where it is still held today.
Through the years, the Adirondack Balloon Festival has drawn international exposure to the Lake George Region. It was named one of the Top 100 events in North America, and has been featured on the Weather Channel, the Food Network, and in numerous Associated Press articles, as well as the New York Times, Amtrak and Southwest Airlines.
Although both Walter and Joan have passed, a monument honoring the late Grishkots is located on Beach Road in Lake George, near the steamboat docks. Thanks to dedicated volunteers and generous community support, the event remains open to the public, free of charge.
Adirondack Balloon Festival Details
The Adirondack Balloon Festival is a free, four-day event, held in mid- to late-September at the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in Queensbury, NY. It is the oldest and largest hot air balloon festival on the East Coast, and features multiple flights of 70+ hot air balloons over the four days, plus food and craft vendors, kids’ activities, live music, and more.
The Adirondack Balloon Festival Schedule of Events is published in late summer. The opening ceremony is typically held on Thursday evening at Crandall Park in Glens Falls, followed by a small balloon launch of 10-15 balloons. Morning launches of 70+ balloons are held at approximately 7:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday at the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport, and evening launches are typically scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 5:30 PM, with a Moonglow balloon lighting event on Saturday night. Breakfast is also served in the airport hanger on Saturday and Sunday morning, and the craft fair, food vendors and kids’ activities are open throughout the day.
All ballooning activities are weather permitting. Balloons will not launch if it is raining or wind speeds exceed 8-10 mph. It’s also worth noting that the Festival does not schedule or book hot air balloon rides, but some participating pilots and local businesses offer balloon rides independently.
Getting to the Adirondack Balloon Festival
Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport is located at 443 Queensbury Avenue, Queensbury, NY. General parking and entry to the Adirondack Balloon Festival is free. However, because the event draws upwards of 100,000 spectators over four days, traffic backups are common. Peak traffic times are between 5:00 AM and 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM, so leave yourself plenty of travel time. A limited number of VIP parking passes are also available for purchase in late summer. Get directions.
Where to Stay for the Adirondack Balloon Festival
Northern Living features more than 40 luxury vacation home rentals in the Lake George Region within a short drive of the Adirondack Balloon Festival and Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport. Select from lakefront rentals, family-friendly accommodations, rentals for large groups, and much more. Browse our vacation rental listings, or contact us and our concierge professionals will help you find the ideal vacation rental for the Adirondack Balloon Festival.
