Centralia Balloon Fest is an annual three-day hot air balloon event that takes place on the third full weekend of August in Centralia. The event is held at Foundation Park, a 300-acre nature park.

Centralia Balloon Fest began in 1990 and has developed into a full weekend of entertainment, family-fun, and beautiful photo opportunities. The festival is the region’s largest event with over 40 hot air balloons and 100 vendors to go along with live entertainment. The event pulls in roughly 40,000 visitors from across Illinois and the country every year. Throughout the weekend there are several opportunities to watch the hot air balloons take off and fly together over Foundation Park. Between the morning and evening balloon flights, there are tethered balloon rides, giving families the chance to ride a hot air balloon up into the sky. There are also balloon glows throughout the weekend. The balloon glows take place either when the sun is rising or setting and involve the hot air balloons are illuminated by their propane burners lighting up the darkened sky created a magical display. The balloon fest, despite the name, does not just include hot air balloons. The event also includes various events like cardboard boat race, kids touch-a-truck, car and motorcycle cruise-in, fair games and scavenger hunts.

For more information on the event schedule and passes, visit the Centralia Balloon Fest website.