Scotland's only hot air balloon festival is set to return to Strathaven in South Lanarkshire next week, running from August 28 to August 30. The annual event, which attracts thousands of visitors each year, follows last year's 25th anniversary celebrations that saw over 106 hot air balloon flights take place.
Free family event with raffle prize
The festival is completely free to attend, with no entry tickets required. Although the public cannot fly in the balloons during the festival, a raffle held over the weekend gives guests the chance to win a flight.
This year's Strathaven celebration is set to be another huge spectacle, with plenty planned including balloon flights, a professional skydiving display, a fun fair, and stalls galore. On Saturday evening, spectators will be treated to a spectacular extravaganza during the festival's Evening Glow, where balloonists lay out, inflate, and tether their huge balloons before burning, flickering, and flashing the burners to create a magical scene of light and colour illuminating the night sky.
History and community impact
The Strathaven Balloon Festival first started in 1999 when a group of locals decided to create an exciting public event within the town to help the local economy. The festival committee is a non-profit voluntary organisation that raises money to cover the cost of the annual festival.
The event has been a massive success ever since and grows in popularity every year, with the festival's Facebook page bringing in 2.9 million views in 28 days and raising almost £5,000 on their JustGiving fundraiser. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, and the event is an alcohol-free zone due to its family-focused nature.
Timetable for 2026
The timetable for this year's event is as follows, all events subject to weather:
- Friday August 28: balloons arrive, with flights taking place that evening just after 6pm.
- Saturday August 29: balloon launches at 6am and just after 6pm. The Sky Masters from Skydive Strathallan will take place at 4pm. The Spectacular Evening Glow will conclude the evening just after 9pm.
- Sunday August 30: balloon launches at 6am and just after 6pm. The Sky Masters from Skydive Strathallan will take place at 4pm.
More information about the three-day festival is available online.
