Come one, come all to the Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival
Published August 8, 2023; 9:25 p.m.

Hot Air Balloon Festival in Townsend, TN

TOWNSEND, TN – For one night only, the Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival returns for its sixth year. On Saturday, August 19, professional balloonists will provide tethered balloon rides into the Smoky Mountain skies, weather permitting.

The Great Smoky Mountain Balloon Fest attracts roughly 10,000 people a year, and all proceeds go to the Townsend/Cades Cove Gateway Alliance (TCGA) non-profit. The Townsend Volunteer Fire Department, Townsend School, and the Railroad Museum financially benefited from the 2022 GSM Hot Air Balloon Festival.

New this year, The AB Project will be selling its reusable water bottles on site, reducing the plastic waste generated during the festival. A bottle refilling station will be centrally located near the balloon viewing area.

Hot Air Balloon Festival food court

During Saturday’s festival, nearly a dozen professional balloonists take visitors into the evening sky, providing a picturesque aerial view of glowing hot air balloons combined with a Smoky Mountain sunset.

On the ground, visitors will find family-friendly activities. Adults and children can enjoy a DJ and activities while more than 30 crafters demonstrate and sell their artwork. Twenty-four food trucks and concession vendors will be there; a beer tent is also on site.

“This year, we’re giving visitors a chance to walk through a hot air balloon,” explained Carmen Simpher, festival organizer and Little Arrow Outdoor CEO. “Not many people can say they have been in a hot air balloon and we are happy to provide that experience!”

Returning this year is the popular VIP experience on the Festival Grounds. VIPs get their own tent, catered meal, parking, tethered balloon ride, and memorabilia from the 2023 Great Smoky Mountain Balloon Fest.

Kim Mitchell, director of tourism at the Blount Partnership, expressed excitement over the annual event.

“This is our sixth year hosting the Greater Smoky Mountain Balloon Festival, and each year we give thousands of people a different view of the Smoky Mountains,” said Mitchell. “People have an opportunity to see the Smokies and Blount County in a way few can; we love to showcase the Peaceful Side of the Smokies in unexpected ways.”

A vendor serves up some tasty BBQ

Quench your thirst

Gates open at 3 pm with tethered rides starting at 4 pm (weather permitting). Admission is $5 per guest with advance parking costing $20. Due to nearby construction, parking passes must be purchased in advance.

Festival hours are 4pm-9pm at the Townsend Visitor Center, 7906 E Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend TN. Tickets can be purchased online through Event Brite.

Prepaid parking only is available at the festival grounds. You can purchase your parking tickets here. The parking fee is $25 and includes 2 admission tickets to the festival.

Four-legged friends are welcome to attend the GSM Hot Air Balloon Festival. Keep in mind the Balloons can be frightening and noisy much in the same way a fireworks show creates stress for our furry pets. All pets must be leashed and poop bags are required.

Food Truck & Concessions

• Halfback BBQ and Smokehouse
• A & R Texas BBQ
• Allyson’s Chimney Cakes
• B’s Bites
• Carolina Tea Company
• Chef Mo’s Cafe
• Donut Theory
• Enjoy Latin Food
• Good Hombres Tacos, Tortas & More
• JDL Kettle Corn and/or Pork Rinds
• Keoke Coffee Bar
• Meatheads LLC
• Mucho Gusto Food Truck
• Poynor’s Pommes Frites
• Red Box Burgers
• Smoky Mountain Snow
• Softee Serve Ice Cream
• Southern Sips
• Southern Yankee Pizza
• Sweetwater Barbeque Company
• The Crave Food Truck
• Tic Toc Ice Cream
• Tiki Grill
• Waffley Good

Craft Vendors

• The AB Project, LLC
• TVC Farms
• Wizard of Rocks
• The Freeze Dried Shoppe
• Tina’s Delights
• Soft Landing Animal Sanctuary
• Cutable Creations
• 865 Axe Throwing
• 865LIFE
• Bella’s Balloon
• Calicountry Creations
• Cannon Woodworking
• CFinleyArt
• Cotton State Watercolors
• Crafts of the Smokies
• Don & Lynn’s Creations
• SheerPositivity
• Handmade Toffee & Treats
• Harmacy Hot Sauce Co.
• Harvest Cove Pottery by Kami
• Hip N’ Happenin’
• Hudson & Harper Designs
• Kat & Eddie’s Balloon-tique
• KnoxFill
• LillyRenee Creations
• Marie Strain
• Missy Grace Mobile Boutique
• Parker’s Goods
• PartyWOW Parties – WOW Factor Balloon Decor
• Pressed
• ScrapLady Creations

Beer Tent

Relax with a cold beer while taking in the beauty of the festival.

Day of Festival parking is $25 at the gate and guests who park in private lots or are dropped off will pay a $5 admission fee.

Musicians

Ice cream vendor

Girl twirling	Boy jumping
Young lady throwing axes	Firing up a balloon