Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival Takes Place July 8-10

From the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce:

Tickets are available for The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival on July 8-10, 2016. Purchases made by Friday, July 1 will save $2 on the cost of admission to the festival at Barton Orchards.

With about 125 launches between Friday and Sunday, the festival also features activities happening all weekend at Barton Orchards at 63 Apple Tree Lane in Poughquag. Two balloons will also be at Migliorelli Farm at 245 Guski Road in Red Hook on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Presenting Sponsors of this year’s event are Barton Orchards, Q92/iHeart Media, and Bottini Fuel. All sponsors and complete event information is available online at balloonfesthv.com

Admission to the morning mass launches on Saturday and Sunday is free and the gates will open at 5 a.m. Admission to the festival starting at noon is $10 on Friday and Saturday in advance, (a limited number of tickets will be available at the gate for $12) and $5 on Sunday (available at the gate only). An all-access weekend pass is available for $17.95 until July 1. Both on- and off-site parking are free and off-site parking includes shuttle service when necessary.

New this year, thanks to Barton Orchards, there will be lots of family activities such as a petting zoo, crafts, hay mazes, hayrides, food trucks and vendors, a tap room, bakery and farmer’s market, fire pits, ball toss, live music entertainment by great bands on two stages, and fireworks (Friday night). There will be helicopter rides and hot-air balloon rides available for a fee in advance. Tether rides will also be for sale the day of the event (cash only, please). The expanded moon glow, scheduled for Saturday night, will include 10 balloons lighting up the night sky.

For the first time this year, a mass balloon launch will be held on Sunday evening. Balloon launches will be at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and 6 p.m. Friday-Sunday. All launches are completely weather dependent. Updates will be posted on the Chamber’s website at dcrcoc.org as well as its Facebook and Twitter pages. Allow extra time for traffic to ensure seeing the balloons inflate and launch and then share your photos using hashtag #dcrcocBalloon.

At Migliorelli Farm on Friday and Saturday afternoon, one balloon will launch at 6 p.m. There will be activities and concessions as well as tether rides for sale (cash only, please). Admission and parking at Migliorelli Farm are free.

Founded in 1907, the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce is committed to the growth and development of local businesses and the economy. For more information about Chamber happenings, the complete events calendar, or to find out how we might best serve as an advocate for you and your business, please visit dcrcoc.org.