Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival

The 35th Annual Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival returns to Tymor Park in La Grangeville, New York, from Friday, September 4, through Sunday, September 6, 2026. Organized by the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, the festival fills a rolling Dutchess County park with five mass balloon ascensions across the weekend, producing more than 120 individual hot-air balloon flights and drawing roughly 12,000 visitors to one of the Hudson Valley’s most anticipated end-of-summer events. Tymor Park Lake anchors the property, and the surrounding woodland gives each flight a backdrop that photographs from every angle.

120 Balloons, Five Launches, One Long Weekend

The schedule runs across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, with the Moon Glow illumination show — balloons tethered and glowing against the dark — serving as the visual centerpiece of each night. Helicopter rides run throughout the festival alongside tethered hot-air balloon rides at $30 per person; full flights are available by advance reservation and sell out well before the weekend arrives, so book as early as possible at balloonfesthv.com. Carnival games, hayrides, live music, and a beer and wine tent round out the grounds. For those who want a more elevated experience, the VIP package at $175 per person (21 and older) includes access to a private picnic-style viewing area overlooking the launch field, inclusive beverages, and a dedicated VIP parking pass — one pass per transaction. A free Sunrise Morning Yoga with the Balloons session runs each morning for any ticketed guest who arrives early enough to claim a spot on the field.

Logistics and Admission: Read These Before You Go

Admission ranges from $13.95 to $39.95 per person depending on ticket type; children under three enter free. A critical planning note: tickets are not sold at the gate. All admissions must be purchased in advance at balloonfesthv.com, and this is not a soft policy — if you arrive without a ticket, you will be turned away. General parking is free and located at Vail Farm Elementary School at 1659 East Noxon Road, Lagrangeville, with a free shuttle running continuously to Tymor Park. Handicap parking is available directly at Tymor Park at 249 Duncan Road. Tymor Park Road closes to through traffic for the duration of the festival. Dogs are not permitted at balloon festivals as launch activity unsettles animals; service dogs with documentation are the exception. Weather affects every balloon event — launches can be delayed or cancelled by wind; follow the official festival social channels for morning condition updates before heading to the park.

After the Balloons: Dutchess County on the Ground

The Hudson Valley moves at a different pace in September. Millbrook, eight miles east of the festival site, has one of the valley’s better independent dining scenes: Millbrook Diner has been feeding locals since the 1950s and does a reliable weekend breakfast with thick-cut French toast and eggs from surrounding farms. For a proper dinner, Café Les Baux in Millbrook serves French country cooking — the roasted duck and the cassoulet are the dishes the regulars protect — in a stone farmhouse setting that has been operating for decades. The Taconic State Parkway runs just east of the festival grounds, and a short drive north reaches Taconic Sculpture Park, a forty-acre open-air gallery that entertains children and adults without needing tickets or schedules. The Harlem Valley Rail Trail is accessible from multiple trailheads within twenty minutes of Tymor Park and offers flat, paved riding through farm country for all fitness levels. Tymor Park Lake itself is available for quiet walks along the water’s edge when the balloon activity winds down in the morning hours.

Quick Tips
– Buy tickets before you leave home. None are sold at the gate.
– Full balloon flights sell out weeks in advance. Reserve at balloonfesthv.com immediately if that is your priority.
– The Moon Glow illumination is the most photographed element of the festival. Bring a tripod if you want clean low-light shots.
– Arrive at the shuttle lot thirty minutes before each scheduled launch for the best field position.

Rain Plan: Balloon inflation and flight depend entirely on wind conditions, not rain alone. A calm, overcast morning can produce beautiful launches. Strong winds at any altitude ground the fleet. Check conditions via the official Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce channels each morning of the festival before making the drive.

Waterfront Stays in the Hudson Valley on Lake.com

Dutchess County sits within reach of several Hudson Valley reservoirs and river-access properties. Taconic Lakes, Rudd Pond, and the stretches of the Harlem Valley that border the park all have rental options in the surrounding region. Search Hudson Valley waterfront options on Lake.com to find a home base for the full September weekend, and book early — the Hudson Valley fills in September as the foliage begins to turn.