Full of Hot Air - The Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair

Whether you love floating high in the sky in a piloted hot air balloon, or you prefer to watch balloons from terra firma, there is something for everyone at the Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair, held this year Thursday through Sunday, July 19-22, 2012. Parking is $5 per car, but entrance to festival itself is free.

The festival has become a major four-day extravaganza for this small town of 6,000  since the festival merged dates with the former Hillsborough Fireman’s Weekend, and recently, an artisans fair has been added to the weekend. Today, Hillsborough welcomes more than 30,000 people each year to the festival.

There are lots of activities within these four days of this charming New England summer festival to satisfy everyone in your family: carnival rides, an artisan fair, live music, a parade, a 5K road race, fireworks, and a bevy of colorful hot air balloons, which will dramatically lift off twice a day at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (weather permitting) on Saturday and Sunday.

The balloons are, of course, the main attraction to the festival. And there are several ways to enjoy them:

• Flights over the Monadnock Region. Full-fledged flights piloted and crewed by regional balloon enthusiasts – will be available to the general public. The rides last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and cost $200 per passenger (most balloons can carry 3-5 passengers as well as the pilot).  Cash, checks and all major credit cards are accepted. To make flight reservations, call (603) 464-0377. 
• Tethered flights. For those who prefer to remain closer to the ground, there will also be tethered flights available – meaning the balloon is secured to the ground and are piloted into the air about 50 feet for about 5 minutes then floated gently back to the ground. The cost is $15 per person.
• Night glow show. For those who don’t want any part of jumping into a balloon’s basket, but appreciate the beauty of hot air balloons, don’t miss the “Night Glow Show” at dusk on Friday night where a half dozen (or more) balloons will remain on the ground but inflate (using the white flame) and become dramatically illuminated. This show is free to the public.

The Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair is sponsored by civic organizations and groups (the Hillsborough Civic Organization, comprised of the three original local groups, the Hillsborough Fire Department, Hillsborough Lions Club, and the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce) and the proceeds from the festival provide major financial support for these organizations.

Need a place to stay while attending the festival?  Inquire with a local B&B for great overnight accommodations to make your weekend getaway complete.