ANNUAL FUN
Saratoga Balloon and BBQ Festival starts next week
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. >> Back after a one-year hiatus, the return of the popular Saratoga Balloon and BBQ Festival is scheduled to offer three days of family fun from Aug. 27 through 29 at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, organizers moved the event from its traditional Father’s Day weekend date to late August, when the event was more likely to happen without restrictions.
The festival’s schedule features highlights including morning balloon launches, tethered balloon rides, helicopter rides, the DareDevil Trained Dog Show, live music, the Brent McCoy Comedy Juggling Act and the popular Balloon Glow.
Two new additions to the Saratoga Balloon and BBQ Festival are a car show with
more than 100 cars on display from 11 to 3 p.m. on Sunday and the New York Steak Cook-Off with dozens of teams competing for the prizes and fame and bragging rights. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the grill masters and watch their expert techniques to help hone their own skills when grilling at home.
Additionally, the event will have a designated Kids Zone with bounce houses, pony rides, a petting farm, face painting, a magician, a balloon twister, and games.
The festival’s food choices will include four BBQ rigs, plus Jamaican jerk chicken, brick oven wood-fired pizza, turkey legs, burgers, and more. There will also be a beer garden serving craft beer, wine, and wine slushies.
Guests can shop from artists and artisans in the marketplace for specialty foods, eclectic household items and New York wine and spirits.
The Saratoga County Fairgrounds are located at 162 Prospect Street in Ballston Spa.
Held rain or shine, festival hours are 3 p.m. to dusk on Friday for the Balloon Glow; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Adult admission is $12 each and $5 for children under 16 years of age at the gate. On Sunday, adult admission will be $8 each.
Balloon rides can be booked online at www.balloonandbbq.com.
Balloon launch updates will be posted at www.balloonandbbq.com and www. facebook.com/saratogaballoonandbbq.