You’re standing in a damp field in Queensbury at 5:30 in the morning. It’s freezing. Your coffee is already lukewarm, and there’s a thick mist clinging to the grass at Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport. Then, you hear it. The rhythmic, violent whoosh of propane burners cutting through the silence. Suddenly, the darkness breaks. Dozens of massive nylon envelopes begin to swell like giant breathing lungs. This is the Adirondack Balloon Festival, and honestly, if you haven’t seen a mass ascension in person, photos just don’t do the scale justice.
It’s big.
Really big.
We are talking about one of the largest hot air balloon events on the East Coast, drawing upwards of 100,000 people to the Glens Falls region over a single weekend. But here’s the thing most travel blogs get wrong: they treat it like a theme park with a set schedule. It isn't. This isn't Disney. It’s a weather-dependent, chaotic, beautiful gamble where the wind decides if you’re going to see a sky full of color or just eat a very expensive cider donut in a parking lot.
The Reality of the Adirondack Balloon Festival Schedule
Most people show up late. That is the biggest mistake you can make. If the schedule says the "Big Balloon Launch" is at 6:30 AM, you should be parking your car by 5:00 AM.
The festival typically spans four days in late September. It usually kicks off on a Thursday afternoon at Crandall Park in Glens Falls. This is the "community" part of the event. It’s smaller, more intimate, and feels like an old-school county fair. But the real heavy lifting happens Friday through Sunday at the airport in Queensbury.
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Why the morning launch is the only one that matters
Look, the 5:00 PM launches are "vibey," sure. The lighting is great for Instagram. But the atmosphere in the evening is often too unstable for the pilots. Wind speeds at the surface might feel calm to you, but 200 feet up, it could be a different story. Morning air is dense and stable. That’s when you get the "Mass Ascension," where up to 100 balloons take flight simultaneously.
It’s a logistical nightmare that somehow works every year. You have pilots from across the country—and sometimes the world—navigating a narrow window of "flyable" air. If the wind is over 8-10 knots, nobody is going up. Period. The organizers, led by the festival’s board of directors (it’s a non-profit, by the way), have to make the call in real-time.
The Logistics of Not Hating Your Life in Queensbury
Traffic is the final boss of the Adirondack Balloon Festival.
There is basically one main road in and out of the airport. If you arrive at 6:00 AM for a 6:30 AM launch, you will spend the entire launch looking at the back of a Honda CR-V's taillights.
- Parking is free. This is actually insane considering the size of the event.
- The "Airport" isn't a terminal. It’s an open airfield. Wear boots. The grass is soaking wet with dew in the morning.
- Bring a chair. Or a blanket. But don't expect to sit in one spot the whole time. You'll want to wander among the balloons as they inflate.
One of the coolest things about this specific festival is the accessibility. Unlike some of the massive festivals in the Southwest where they rope off the launch fields, the Glens Falls event lets you walk right up to the baskets. You can talk to the crews. You can see the heat distorting the air above the burners. You might even get asked to help hold a tether line if you look sturdy enough.
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Special Shapes and the "Moon Glow"
Every year, there’s a obsession with the "special shapes." We’ve seen everything from giant penguins and piggy banks to enormous replicas of the Wells Fargo stagecoach. These balloons are notoriously difficult to fly because their aerodynamics are, frankly, terrible. They are basically giant, floating wind-sails.
If the wind is even slightly gusty, the special shapes stay grounded.
However, if you stick around for the evening events, you get the "Moon Glow." This is when the balloons stay on the ground, tethered, and fire their burners in the dark. They light up like giant Chinese lanterns. It’s arguably more photogenic than the actual flight because the colors are so saturated against the night sky.
A note on the "Zonk" factor
You will be tired. The festival is a test of endurance. You wake up at 4:00 AM, stand in a field, wait for the sun, and then usually find yourself looking for food by 9:00 AM. The food vendors on-site are standard fair fare—breakfast burritos, fried dough, and plenty of coffee.
Beyond the Balloons: The Glens Falls Impact
The Adirondack Balloon Festival isn't just an excuse to look at the sky; it’s a massive economic engine for Warren County. Glens Falls is a "small city" in the truest sense, and when 100,000 people descend on it, the seams start to bulge.
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If you're planning to stay in a hotel, you need to book six to nine months in advance. If you didn't, you're staying in Saratoga or Lake George and driving 30 minutes in. Even the local diners, like the Peppermill or Main Street Ice Cream Parlor, get slammed.
It’s important to remember that this event is free because of local sponsors and the tireless work of volunteers. It started back in the early 70s—1973 to be exact—thanks to Walt Grishkot. He was a local visionary who wanted to bring something unique to the region. He’d probably be shocked to see how many drones are flying around now (don't be that person—unauthorized drones are a huge safety risk to the pilots).
Practical Advice for Your First Trip
- Layers are everything. It will be 40 degrees when you arrive and 65 degrees by the time the balloons are in the air. You will be peeling off hoodies like an onion.
- Check the Facebook page. The festival organizers are surprisingly good at updating their social media with "Go/No-Go" decisions. Check it before you leave the hotel.
- Bring cash. While some vendors take cards, the cell service at the airport usually dies when 30,000 people start uploading 4K video at the same time. Square readers stop working. Cash is king.
- The "Exit Strategy." Don't leave the second the last balloon takes off. That’s when everyone else leaves. Sit back, have another coffee, let the balloons drift out of sight, and wait 45 minutes. Your blood pressure will thank you.
Why it actually matters
In a world where everything is monetized and ticketed to death, there’s something genuinely soulful about the Adirondack Balloon Festival. It’s a group of people standing in a dark field, collectively hoping the wind behaves. There is no guarantee of success. Sometimes the balloons don't fly. Sometimes it rains.
But when it works? When a hundred colors lift off against the backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains? It’s a reminder that some things are worth waking up early for.
Actionable Next Steps for Attendees
- Book Your Accommodations Now: If you are reading this and it’s already June or July, check the peripheral towns like Queensbury, Lake Luzerne, or even South Glens Falls immediately.
- Pack a "Field Kit": Include a waterproof picnic blanket (the grass will be wet), a portable power bank for your phone, and a pair of binoculars to track the balloons once they drift toward the mountains.
- Plan Your Friday: The Friday night flight is often less crowded than the Saturday morning mass ascension. If you want the experience with half the crowd, aim for the Friday evening slot at the airport.
- Support the Non-Profit: Buy the official merchandise. Since there is no gate fee, the festival relies on those t-shirt and mug sales to pay for the fuel and logistics that keep the event free for the public.
By shifting your perspective from "spectator" to "prepared participant," you'll actually enjoy the weekend rather than feeling overwhelmed by the crowds. The balloons are the stars, but your preparation is what makes the show watchable.