Kissimmee Balloon Glow floats in this weekend
Hot air balloons will dot the night sky in Central Florida this weekend as the Kissimmee Balloon Glow floats into Osceola Heritage Park.
Visitors to the festival can witness the magic of balloons glowing at sunset, take tethered balloon rides and explore a range of food, vendors and activities for children. The glow goes on each night June 11-13, weather permitting.
“We eventually want to make this one of the biggest events in Florida, if not the country. There’s the space at Osceola Heritage Park to do it,” said event director Richard Garvie. “But you’ve got to start somewhere.”
Garvie said that between “a dozen and 20” balloons will illuminate the night sky in Osceola County with four special shapes: Tom and Jerry, plus Sylvester and Tweety.
A similar glow event started in Orlando in 2018 and has been held annually at Baldwin Park’s Blue Jacket Park. Recently, Garvie’s company has taken hot air balloon festivals to Atlanta, Miami, New York and Las Vegas.
Tethered rides will be available on a first-come, first-served basis during the event for an additional fee, taking visitors up to 100 feet off the ground. Some baskets are ADA-accessible.
Garvie said the balloon glow and tethered rides
can give festival guests a first taste of what hot air ballooning is about.
“It’s about sharing what we do and giving people a taste of a real balloon ride,” he said.
If you go
The Kissimmee Balloon Glow opens at 5 p.m. nightly June 11-13 at 1875 Silver Spur Lane in Kissimmee. Tickets are $20 per
car at the gate. Only service animals are allowed. For more information, visit ohpark.com or balloonglowtour.com.
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