SLATINGTON, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley “spooktacular” Hot Air Balloon Festival is happening this weekend.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday at the Slatington Airport event launch site. The festival continues Saturday and Sunday with activities that include hot air balloon rides, food trucks, helicopters and fireworks.
- The Spooktacular Halloween Hot Air Balloon Festival runs Friday-Sunday from the Slatington Airport event launch site
- Up to 20 hot air balloons will be on display, flying, and offering different types of rides for guests
- Food vendors, fireworks, and a laser show are also scheduled for the weekend.
- Admission is $25 for adults, $15 for kids under 12 years old.
“There’s so much jam-packed in there,” William Randell said.,
Randell and his wife, Jerika, own Lehigh Valley Hot Air – the balloon company running the festival.
"Community. I like bringing out the people. That's my favorite part. Meeting everybody talking to everybody, making sure everybody's having a good time. That's the reason why me and my wife do it."William Randell, owner of Lehigh Valley Hot Air, when asked which part of the festival he's most excited for
“You got vendors, you got food trucks! You got…all types of stuff,” Randell said with a laugh. “Going on helicopter rides, they’ll be providing tethered rides for balloons, in the mornings, they’ll be doing massive sections where all the balloons will be taking off together all at once and flying over the Lehigh Valley – which is going to be awesome.”
Tethered rides are hot air balloons with a long rope attached to the ground, so they can’t rise too high in the sky, which may alleviate fears for some. Randell said these are good options for people who are recovering from injuries, or to help first time riders ease into the world of hot air balloons.
“It prohibits the balloon from going for an hour long, for example,” he said. “But you can still get an opportunity to get your feet off the ground.”
"Spooktacular" fun
Randell and his team are asking guests to come dressed in Halloween costumes.
He’s planning to wear a Tasmanian Devil costume…to match his giant Tasmanian Devil hot air balloon.
“I love it,” Randell said. “We encourage people to dress up, and have fun – and sometimes the ballooners give out candy.”
He said that the event started out Halloween-themed and has stayed that way.
What to expect
Randell said there will be up to 20 hot air balloons coming in for the festival.
“All from all different states,” he said. “A lot of them are from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but we’ve got a couple of guys coming from New York, Maryland, Delaware – kind of a coordinated effort.”
He said the main attraction will be the fireworks and laser show, which is scheduled to run both Saturday and Sunday.
There will also be bouncy castles, live music, family entertainment, and illuminated hot air balloons – called “glows” – every night.
General admission is $25 for adults, and $15 for kids under 12. Parking is an additional $10, according to the festival’s website.
Tickets for hot air balloon rides, which must be reserved and purchased online.
Tethered balloon rides, however, will be available on-the-spot for $25.
There is also a four-hour time period Saturday for kids living with disabilities and/or sensory issues, which is free of charge, and will include special considerations, such as lowered noise.
For information, call 484-632-6815.
