Updated September 2026
I’ve been seeing photos in front of the hot air balloons in Cappadocia, Turkey all over social media recently.
Did they incite some travel jealousy?
Maybe a bit.
But good news for my fellow Texans… once a year, you, too, can gaze upon gorgeous hot air balloons at the Plano Balloon Festival.
This late summer/early fall festival happens in late September at Oak Point Park in Plano, TX.
It showcases a bunch of colorful balloons and so much more!
2026 dates: September 17–20, 2026 (a four-day event). Also note: the September 21–23, 2018 dates cited never happened — the 2018 festival was canceled due to catastrophic flash flooding at the park. Keep reading to see if this is something you’d want to check out next year!
1. What to expect
It’s crucial to note that there are not always hot air balloons in the sky during the festival. Instead, there are two key times of day to see them dancing in the sky. You’ve either got to go really early or in the evening.
For daytime photos, you’ll want to arrive early- like 7am early. This is when the balloon activities are happening, so whether they are just floating or racing, they’ll be in the sky.
2026 evening schedule: RE/MAX of Texas parachute team exhibition at 6:00 p.m. (Thu/Fri/Sat), Balloon Glow at 7:30 p.m. (Thu Sept 17, Fri Sept 18, Sat Sept 19), laser show at 9 p.m. There is no dusk mass balloon flight at 6 p.m. 2026 Balloon Glow time is 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
2. The activities
Other than watching hot air balloons, there is still plenty to do.
You can find vendors at the fair, listen to concerts and performances, meet the pilots when they land, watch dancers, and enjoy the food court.
Feel like running? Sign up for the 5k that happens on the Saturday morning of the fair.
There is also a Kids Fun Zone with games, rides, and art activities.
Current official price: $30 adults, $20 children ages 6–12 (cash only, onsite only). No fly-away rides — tethered only — confirmed: ‘Rides that fly away from the park are NOT offered.’ Passengers must be at least 6 and able to see over the basket.
3. What to bring
Parking and vendor sales are now cashless (credit cards, debit cards, and Apple Pay accepted) — no need to bring cash for those. Tethered ride tickets are the exception: cash only, onsite.
2026 parking: $10 off-site parking at the Plano Event Center; $15 prime parking (Collin College Spring Creek Campus, Oak Point Recreation Center, First United Methodist Church).
This year (2017) the parking attendants weren’t accepting credit cards.
Hopefully that will change for the future, but if not, be prepared with cash.
And definitely bring kids!
The festival is extremely kid friendly with a Kids Korner, Toddler Zone, and more.
Also, don’t forget to print out your tickets if you’ve purchased them online. Buying them online skips the line at the entrance, but is not necessary.
4. What to wear
Just dress for the weather and for plenty of walking.
It’s not necessarily that the festival grounds are that huge, but getting to them from your parking spot can be quite the haul.
But that long haul is quite worth the festival festivities waiting for you!
Check out full details and information at www.planoballoonfest.org.
