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presents 6th Annual

Great Midwest Balloon Fest

Glows and Goblins

Click here for video highlights

When...

Friday, October 23
4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 24
2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Where...

Ag Hall of Fame

Adjacent to
Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
& Renaissance Festival
633 North 130th Street
Bonner Springs, KS
Click here for directions
All Balloon-Related Activities are Subject to Weather Conditions
  • Balloons Galore!

    The 2015 Great Midwest Balloon Fest will feature dozens of beautiful and exciting hot air balloons from all over the country. See balloons soar, glow, fly and perform tasks from the air throughout the weekend. Share a memorable experience of a hot air balloon ride with your favorite someone or take the kids on a tethered balloon ride 50 feet in the air and get a quick thrill. Glenn Moyer, our special balloon announcer from down south, will do the play by play of all the balloon activities. He knows ALL the balloons and ALL the pilots.
  • Balloon Glows

    You haven’t experienced the magic of a hot air balloon festival until you’ve seen a Balloon Glow up close and personal. Glows happen both Friday and Saturday evenings. The giant hot air balloons light up the night and provide the perfect photo op. Weather permitting, you will be able to go on to the Balloon Field and walk up to the balloons. Kids attending the festival will get to TRICK OR TREAT THE PILOTS!
    Click here for further details.
  • Spectacular Special Shapes

    Meet and Greet the 2015 Special Shape Balloons. This is our first fall festival and since we are only a week before Halloween, we are celebrating the holiday with the HAUNTED HOUSE balloon—complete with two ghosts, the SCARECROW BALLOON, the PURPLE PEOPLE EATER, BUZZY the monster, the OLD LADY and the SHOE (back by popular demand) and one or two more surprises. Special Shapes are quite a bit bigger than a regular size balloon so be prepared to be amazed!
    Click here for further details.
  • Kids Costume Contest & Trick or Treat

    The Great Midwest Balloon Fest is excited to announce our first ever Halloween Costume Contest, sponsored by AETNA, open to all kids attending the festival between the ages of 3 and 12. The contests will happen both Friday and Saturday with semi-finals in the KIDZ ZONE and finals on the BALLOON STAGE. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category each night. Each winner will receive a family package from the GREAT WOLF LODGE. Celebrate Halloween a little early in a fantastic, fun and safe environment at the GMBF. Friday, October 23, Semi-Finals-4:30-5:30 p.m., Finals at 5:45 p.m.; Saturday, October 24, Semi-Finals 3:30-4:30 p.m., Finals at 5:00 p.m. Walk-ins welcome.
    Register here.
  • Junior League Hot Air Balloon Contest

    Junior League of Johnson and Wyandotte County partnered with Johnson County Parks and Rec After School Program in the first annual Hot Air Ballon Festival Competition and Auction. 45 Schools from around Johnson County created handmade hot air balloons with the theme of Lights ON after School program. Each school had kids ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade create one of a kind balloons to be displayed in U.S. Bank branches and other businesses around the KC Metro.
    Click here for further details.
  • Charities

    The 2015 Great Midwest Balloon Fest is benefiting Wounded Warriors, City Union Mission, the Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, Lansing Kiwanis, and the Heart of America Barbershop Chorus.
  • Festival Beer Garden

    Bands, Beer and Brats...

    Octoberfest is at the 2015 balloon festival at the Festival Beer GardenDelicious festival food, giant pretzels, brats, craft beers and more will be available throughout the entire festival Friday and a Saturday. This year we have a Beer Garden stage where some of the best area bands will perform, as well as the traditional Oompah Band and other entertainment. Sip a cold one, indulge in a variety of foods, and watch the balloons.
    Click here for further details.
  • 5k Race with the Balloons

    The GMBF is doing a different 5k race this year. It will be held Sunday, October 25 at 7:30am at the Wyandotte County Park across the street from the balloon festival site. All runners will be given glow sticks and will finish the run at the balloon field with the balloons glowing as a backdrop in the night sky. Runners are also encouraged to wear Halloween make-up. And, of course, all runners get free admission to the festival.
    Click here for further details.
  • Giant Kites

    You thought kites were the little ones you buy at the store with some twine. The Kansas City Kite Club will delight you both Saturday and Sunday afternoons with giant kites, some two to three stories tall. The kites love winds as much as the balloons love a gentle breeze…so the kite exhibition is a perfect prelude to the hot air balloons. They’re colorful and fanciful and appeal to kids of all ages. Let’s go fly a kite—or rather watch a bunch!
    Click here for further details.

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