The 7th Annual Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival will feature something for everyone:
Family Friendly Activities
Crafters — Both Demonstrating and Selling Their Artwork
Food Truck Court
Beer Tent
What to Expect From The 7th Annual Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival
Against the backdrop of a Smoky Mountain Sunset, the balloons begin to inflate as soon as weather permits. Balloon inflation is all weather dependent. The festival is rain or shine.
The Balloons Will Not Launch Free…. This Is a Tethered Balloon Event.
Community Support
Some of the proceeds from this event benefit the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department and the Townsend Elementary School.
Parking
Prepaid parking at the festival grounds costs $20. Festival entry tickets are available separately for $7 each (children 12 and under enter free).
Pets
Our four-legged friends are not discouraged from attending the GSM Hot Air Balloon Festival, but we understand that the Balloons can be frightening and noisy much in the same way a fireworks show creates stress for our furry pets. All pets must be leashed and poop bags are required.
Activities for All Ages
Our festival is a family fun event with lots of activities for all ages to keep everyone happy and having fun!
V.I.P. Lift Off! – An Elevated Festival Experience!
The VIP Experience is August 16, 2025. This package includes:
~ Premium Tented area
~ Tethered Balloon Ride (1 per ticket)
~ Signature cocktails by Company Distilling
~ Commemorative swag
~ Catered meal from The Abbey
~ Beer
~ Enjoy live music at the VIP experience
VIP Ticket Price: $200
Ticket sales start spring 2025
Hot Air Balloon Fun Facts
- A rooster, duck, and a sheep were the first hot air balloon passengers. In 1783, they were used to test the effects of flight, and flew for two miles, 1,500 feet in the air, above the French court in Versailles, over the heads of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. They landed safely after the eight-minute flight.
- Abraham Lincoln established the Balloon Corps to spy on the Confederates during the Civil War. The Corps was retired after realizing that the hot air balloons were an easy target for the enemy.
- Virgin Air founder Sir Richard Branson holds the world record for the longest hot air balloon flight, flying 6,700 miles from Japan to northern Canada in January 1991. The trip also set the record for the fastest speed, at 245 miles per hour,
- The temperature inside the balloon is kept below 248°F.
- The balloon is referred to as the “envelope,” with a melting point of approximately 446°F.
- In the Pixar animated movie, “Up,” it’s estimated that more than 12 million balloons would have been required to hoist Carl’s house into the air.
- Hot air balloons cannot fly in the rain because the water would boil from the heat inside the balloon and melt the fabric.