Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend at the Freedom Balloon Fest at Fleming Loop Park, 503 Fleming Loop Road, Fuquay-Varina. It will take place Friday, May 25th, 2018, through Monday, May 28th. It features live music, amusements, tethered balloon rides, food vendors, craft beer, military displays, and, most importantly, the ascension of 35 hot air balloons.
Admission to the festival is free, and you can enjoy the live music, other entertainment, and the hot air balloon glow. There are charges for:
- Tethered Balloon Rides: $20
- Hot Air Balloon Rides: Email pilot (in link) for information
There’s no parking on the festival grounds. There are many lots where you can park. They are operated independently, and range in price from free to $10. There’s no official festival shuttle, so if the parking lot is too far for you to walk from, you’ll need to use a ride booking service.
See the live music schedule here.
Saturday, May 26, 2018
6:00am – Festival Grounds Open
6:15am – Hot Air Balloon Competition Flights*
6:30am – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:00am – Breakfast Food Vendors Open – Biscuits, Juice, Coffee & More!
8:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
9:00am – Merchant, Arts & Crafts Vendor Village Opens
9:00am – Community Stage Opens in the Heart of the Merchant, Arts & Crafts Village
10:00 – Fun Zone Amusements & Displays Open
10:30am – Food Vendors Are Open for Lunch
11:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
12:00pm – Craft Beer & Wine Garden Open
2:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
3:30pm – Pilot Meet & Greet courtesy of members of Carolinas Balloon Association
3:30pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
5:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
6:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
6:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascension* or Fly-in Event
6:45pm – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:15pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
8:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Glow*
8:30-10:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
10:30pm Festival Grounds Close
*All times and programming are approximate and subject to change. Balloon activities are wind/weather dependent.
Hot air balloons are not scheduled to fly in the middle of the day due to the dangers of unpredictable winds during the heat of the day.
6:00am – Festival Grounds Open
6:15am – Hot Air Balloon Competition Flights*
6:30am – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:00am – Breakfast Food Vendors Open – Biscuits, Juice, Coffee & More!
8:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
9:00am – Merchant, Arts & Crafts Vendor Village Opens
9:00am – Community Stage Opens in the Heart of the Merchant, Arts & Crafts Village
10:00 – Fun Zone Amusements & Displays Open
10:30am – Food Vendors Are Open for Lunch
11:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
12:00pm – Craft Beer & Wine Garden Open
2:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
3:30pm – Pilot Meet & Greet courtesy of members of Carolinas Balloon Association
3:30pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
5:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
6:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
6:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascension* or Fly-in Event
6:45pm – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:15pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
8:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Glow*
8:30-10:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
10:30pm Festival Grounds Close
*All times and programming are approximate and subject to change. Balloon activities are wind/weather dependent.
Hot air balloons are not scheduled to fly in the middle of the day due to the dangers of unpredictable winds during the heat of the day.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
6:00am – Festival Grounds Open
6:15am – Hot Air Balloon Competition Flights*
6:30am – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:00am – Breakfast Food Vendors Open – Biscuits, Juice, Coffee & More!
8:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
9:00am – Merchant, Arts & Crafts Vendor Village Opens
9:00am – Community Stage Opens in the Heart of the Merchant, Arts & Crafts Village
10:00am – Non-Denominational Church Service on RE/MAX Stage
10:00am-3:30pm – Statewide American Legion Car Show & Competition (Awards at 3:00pm)
11:00 – Fun Zone Amusements & Military Displays Open
11:00am – Food Vendors Area Open for Lunch
11:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
12:00pm – Craft Beer Open
2:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
3:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
3:30pm – Pilot Meet & Greet courtesy of members of Carolinas Balloon Association
4:15pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
5:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
6:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
6:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascension* or Fly-in.
6:45pm – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:15pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
8:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
8:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Glow*
8:30-10:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
10:30pm Festival Grounds Close
*All times and programming are approximate and subject to change. Balloon activities are wind/weather dependent.
Hot air balloons are not scheduled to fly in the middle of the day due to the dangers of unpredictable winds during the heat of the day.
6:00am – Festival Grounds Open
6:15am – Hot Air Balloon Competition Flights*
6:30am – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:00am – Breakfast Food Vendors Open – Biscuits, Juice, Coffee & More!
8:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
9:00am – Merchant, Arts & Crafts Vendor Village Opens
9:00am – Community Stage Opens in the Heart of the Merchant, Arts & Crafts Village
10:00am – Non-Denominational Church Service on RE/MAX Stage
10:00am-3:30pm – Statewide American Legion Car Show & Competition (Awards at 3:00pm)
11:00 – Fun Zone Amusements & Military Displays Open
11:00am – Food Vendors Area Open for Lunch
11:30am – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
12:00pm – Craft Beer Open
2:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
3:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
3:30pm – Pilot Meet & Greet courtesy of members of Carolinas Balloon Association
4:15pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
5:30pm – Disc Connected K-9 Frisbee Dogs
6:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
6:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascension* or Fly-in.
6:45pm – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
7:15pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
8:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
8:30pm – Hot Air Balloon Glow*
8:30-10:00pm – Live Music on the RE/MAX Stage
10:30pm Festival Grounds Close
*All times and programming are approximate and subject to change. Balloon activities are wind/weather dependent.
Hot air balloons are not scheduled to fly in the middle of the day due to the dangers of unpredictable winds during the heat of the day.
Monday, May 28, 2018 – Memorial Day Events at Fleming Park
6:00am – Festival Grounds Open
6:15am – Hot Air Balloon Competition Flights*
6:30am – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
11:00am – Closing Ceremony and DeCommissioning of Field of Flags
11:30am – Field of Flags Honor Caravan Departs with Flags for Area Military Cemeteries to Decorate Gravesites
12:00pm – Festival Closes
12:01pm – Planning Begins for 2019 Freedom Balloon Fest
*All times and programming are approximate and subject to change. Balloon activities are wind/weather dependent.
6:00am – Festival Grounds Open
6:15am – Hot Air Balloon Competition Flights*
6:30am – Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides*
11:00am – Closing Ceremony and DeCommissioning of Field of Flags
11:30am – Field of Flags Honor Caravan Departs with Flags for Area Military Cemeteries to Decorate Gravesites
12:00pm – Festival Closes
12:01pm – Planning Begins for 2019 Freedom Balloon Fest
*All times and programming are approximate and subject to change. Balloon activities are wind/weather dependent.
Sue says
How much is the tethered balloon rides? How much is the parking & shuttle bus?
Jody Mace says
Thanks for the question. I’ve updated the post. Tethered rides are $20. Parking varies. There’s no official shuttle.