Arkansas Valley Balloon Festival

Mark your calendar and plan to visit Rocky Ford and the lower Arkansas Valley every November for the only Hot Air Balloon Festival in Southeast Colorado. This annual event takes place the first full weekend in November and should be included on everyone’s calendar.

Balloonists from around the state converge on the city of Rocky Ford for a fun-filled three day gathering, which includes the Balloon Festival, an art show and a photo contest. On Thursday morning the Arkansas Valley Balloon Festival sponsors a Wake Up Breakfast beginning at 6:45 a.m. at the Gobin Building, located at 105 North Main Street to get area residents and sponsors fueled up for the weekend activities.

The balloonists arrive on Friday and provide fun demonstrations at local schools and then are treated to a welcome dinner in Rocky Ford. On Saturday everyone is welcome to watch the balloons launch from the Rocky Ford High School at 100 West Washington. The gates of the launch site open at 6:00 a.m. and the pilots prepare for the first lift-off at 6:30 a.m. The chill of the frosty fall air is held at bay by the First United Methodist Church women who serve up hot chocolate, coffee, cinnamon rolls and burritos. By early morning the skies are dotted with the bright colors of the balloons as they float above the rich autumn colors below.