New England’s Oldest Balloon Party Turns 46: The Quechee Balloon Festival Returns June 19-21, 2026
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For more than 45 years, hot air balloons have lifted off over the Quechee Green on Father’s Day weekend, and 2026 marks the 46th anniversary of this special event.
The Quechee Balloon Festival runs June 19 through 21, 2026, and it’s still one of the most dependable ways to spend a June weekend in Vermont; there’s nothing quite like watching the colorful balloons drift across the sky over the Ottauquechee River.
You can come for the balloons, the live music, the birds of prey, or just the chance to eat your way through more than 50 vendors while your kids burn off energy in a bouncy house (we won’t judge). Here’s what’s worth knowing before you go.
How a Pickup Truck Started It All
The Quechee Balloon Festival began on a cool spring day in 1978, when a pickup truck painted with the emblem of the Glens Falls Balloon Festival pulled up to the Quechee Inn. Out climbed Ed Griskott, a ballooning promoter with a big voice and a bigger smile. He asked for Mike Yaroschuk, who had just bought the Inn, and got right to the point: “Let’s talk hot air ballooning.”
Mike and his wife, Barbara, had recently moved to Quechee with their three kids, hoping to turn the Inn into a destination.
That same year, Mike co-founded the Quechee Chamber of Commerce with a handful of other local business owners, and they were looking for a signature event to put the village on the map. Ed’s pitch was the answer.
They scheduled the first festival for the last weekend of June 1979, partly because it lined up with Mike’s birthday.
That first year, six balloons offered morning and evening flights over the Green. Local restaurants served their best dishes, a few musicians played the old bandstand, and parking was tucked behind what’s now the Red Barn Condominiums.
There was one entrance and not much else, and the Chamber lost money on the event. But watching those six balloons float over the Green was enough to convince them they’d started something worth keeping.
Forty-six years later, it turns out they were right.
The Balloons, Of Course
The balloons are the reason most people come. Launches are set for Friday at 6 pm and both Saturday and Sunday at 6 am and 6 pm. The early morning launches are worth the alarm clock if you want the calmest air and the best light.
Stick around after the evening launches on Friday and Saturday for the Balloon Glow at 8:30 pm, when the balloons stay tethered and light up the night.
If you want to get off the ground yourself, you have two options. Balloon ride tickets are limited and tend to sell out fast, so the festival releases them in waves to give everyone a few chances to grab one.
If you’d rather keep things a little tamer (and more affordable), tethered rides run Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 5:30 pm, weather permitting. As the festival puts it, you get all the views and none of the “where are we landing?” anxiety.
Live Music All Weekend
There’s a full slate of Vermont and regional talent across two stages. A few highlights:
Friday kicks off with Ernest James Zydeco bringing Louisiana accordion to the Big Stage at 3 pm, followed at 6:30 by Steve L. Johnson, who performs the Delta blues catalog of his grandfather, Robert Johnson.
Saturday brings the Draa Hobbs Quartet at 10:30 am, Haitian guitarist Jimmy Jean Felix at 1 pm, and Carlos Ocasio’s long-running Vermont band Fry Daddy at 6:30 pm. Sunday closes things out with New York singer-songwriter Elijah Stone at 10:30 am and Wilder, Vermont string band Beecharmer at 1:00 PM.
That’s just a sampling. The full entertainment schedule is posted on the festival site.
More Than Just Balloons
Even if the wind keeps the balloons grounded, there’s plenty to do. The Vermont Institute of Natural Science brings a rehabilitated raptor ambassador to the field on Friday at 4 pm for an up-close look at a bird of prey and the conservation work behind it.
Early risers can join Sunrise Yoga with Kim Wenger Hall at 6 am, right as the balloons start to rise. Classes cap at 25 people per slot, so claim a spot early. For something more active, the festival is partnering again with Vermont Bike & Brew for self-guided e-bike tours, 11- or 20-mile routes through the hills around Quechee, both stopping at a fourth-generation farm and sugar shack for real Vermont maple syrup.
Families will find a free Kids Zone with bounce houses and entertainment running Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 5:30 pm, plus disc dogs, jugglers, and stilt-walkers throughout the weekend.
And those 50-plus food and craft vendors, the beer and wine tent, and local spirits are spread around the grounds to ensure you are fed and watered throughout the event.
A Word About Tickets
There are no single-day tickets, so be prepared to spend the weekend.
Why?
The grounds are open rain or shine, but balloon launches depend on safe weather, and weather doesn’t cooperate on a schedule. A weekend pass lets you come back on multiple days, which means a much better shot at actually seeing balloons fly. And, buying advance passes online gets you a discount over the gate price.
It’s a fair trade-off, especially since organizers note ticket prices haven’t changed in years and still run cheaper than many regional events, including the Tunbridge Fair. Kids under 12 get discounted admission, and the festival sets aside tickets for local youth in foster care and participating schools.
A weekend pass is $25 for adults and just $5 for kids 4-12. Kids under 4 are free. Balloon rides, yoga, and e-bike tours require an additional fee and should be purchased in advance.
Before You Go
A few quick rules to save you a headache at the gate. Leave the dog at home, since only certified service animals are allowed. No outside alcohol, though you can buy a drink in the beer and wine tent. And no drones.
The 46th Annual Quechee Balloon Festival runs June 19 to 21, 2026, in Quechee, Vermont. If you’ve never watched a sky full of balloons lift off over a Vermont village green, this is a good year to start.
Also read: 17 Exciting Events to Celebrate June in Vermont
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