Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival: The Ultimate 2024 Guide
Are you thinking of attending the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival this year?
You’re not alone! More than 200,000 people come to the Ottawa area every year to enjoy this unique event.
It can be difficult to find informative, on-the-ground information online, so I have created this complete guide to experiencing the festival at its fullest.
As an Ottawa resident and local expert, I will share everything you need to know to get the most out of your festival experience.
Whether you plan to enjoy the festivities on the ground or in the air, here is everything you need to know about the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival!
What is the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival?
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is an annual event that features hot air balloons, fireworks displays, music performances, and many other family-friendly activities.
The festival first started in 1988 in the small town of Gatineau, in the Outaeosis region of Quebec, Canada. It had more than 50 balloons on display and started a legacy that is running strong today!
Now, the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is a 3-day event that showcases dozens of balloons and welcomes over 200,000 attendees.
The air balloon festival takes place over the Labour Day weekend each year in La Baie Park and offers activities such as:
- Hot air balloon rides
- Live musical performances
- Fireworks Displays
- Amusement park rides
Patrons can choose to attend the festival for just one day or spend the full weekend taking in the festivities. Thousands of attendees also choose to camp in the RV park and make a holiday of it!
⛺The Festival Campground is one of the best places to create more unforgettable experiences! Need an RV? I recommend renting one here.
The Labour Day weekend is the last weekend of the summer holidays in Canada. Many families attend the festival as one final “hurrah” before school starts!
Because of its proximity to the city, this festival is sometimes referred to as the Ottawa Hot Air Balloon Festival. But even though it’s just 10 minutes away from downtown Ottawa, Gatineau is actually in the province of Quebec!
La Baie Park lies just across the Ottawa River from Ottawa and has hosted the festival since its inception more than 35 years ago.
Who Should Go?
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival has something for everyone! It is particularly well-known for its family activities, but you will find enthusiastic festival-goers from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Young folks are drawn to the stages to enjoy the performers, and older folk who have attended the festival for years bring friends and family to experience the festival together.
There are many festivals in Ottawa to attend in the summer, but the balloons are what make this festival worth going to. The unique experience of watching dozens of hot air balloons float into the sky is tough to beat!
Entrance to the festival is free for kids 10 and younger, helping to make the event more affordable for families.
Things to Do at the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
While seeing the balloons fly is the main event, there are many other activities to enjoy at the Gatineau Balloon Festival!
1. Watch the balloon lift-off
This is the highlight of the balloon festival!
Balloon flights take place at 6: 30 AM and 6:30 PM each day of the festival, weather permitting. You can watch this from inside the park, or from one of the viewpoints around Ottawa or Gatineau.
2. Take a hot air balloon ride
What’s better than watching hot air balloons rise into the sky? Rising with them of course!
The balloons offer rides on every flight time to guests who want to experience this once-in-a-lifetime activity. Tickets are sold separately and can be booked through the festival ticket site.
3. Meet the Pilots
If a balloon flight is not in your future, you can still get up close and meet the balloon pilots! Part of the daytime activities offered at the Gatineau balloon festival are opportunities to go near the balloons and chat with the humans that make them fly.
4. Enjoy the fireworks display
The Festival is well known for its incredible fireworks displays at night. Every evening after dark, the sky over La Baie Park lights up with an impressive display.
In 2020, the fireworks event was coordinated with music and took place at 9 locations around Gatineau. It was the largest display in Canada that year!
5. Take in a show
Dozens of music artists perform at the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival every year. Acts range from local performers to well-known pop icons.
Past performers include Simple Plan, Kenny Rogers, and Our Lady Peace!
Get up and dance or sit back and enjoy the tunes at one of the festival’s 3 music stages.
6. Experience the Beauce Carnaval Amusement park
Get your adrenaline pumping on one of the dozens of rides at the amusement park!
The Beau Carnaval Amusement Park features a broad mix of rides. There are crowd favorites like a Ferris wheel & the Zipper, as well as kid-friendly fun rides like a carousel.
7. Camp
Stay in the middle of the action and camp out right in the park! The balloon festival has a huge RV park that allows guests to save on accommodations and the hassle of parking.
Camping amongst the other recreational vehicles adds to the overall festival experience, and can make the event more affordable for groups or large families!
⛺Experience the best of the festival by camping in the area! This website is my favorite for RV rentals, from cozy campervans to spacious motorhomes!
8. Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to experience festivals like the Gatineau balloon festival! In addition to free admission to the festival, you will get to be a part of the community that makes the hot air balloon festival happen.
Many volunteers attend the festival year after year, while others are travelers who volunteer as a way to spend less money on their adventures.
No matter your motivation, spending a few hours volunteering is a great way to enhance your Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival experience!
Festival Schedule & Pricing
The festival takes place on the Labour Day weekend each year. This is the last long weekend before school starts, so it’s a popular event for families before going back to regular schedules!
Tickets go on sale in the spring and are about $30 per day or $50 for a full weekend pass. As a bonus, children 10 & under are free!
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival schedule is released every spring, along with the list of performers for the year.
Check out the FMG website in April each year for the most up-to-date info!
How to Get to the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
Despite being in a different province, the Gatineau festival is easily accessible from Ottawa! The festival takes place in La Baie Park, in the Outaouais region along the Quebec and Ontario border.
It is easily accessible using public and active transit systems. You can also drive, but with the number of people that attend the festival, traffic can be heavy.
Here are the best ways to get to the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival.
By Bike
It’s safe and easy to bike to the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival from Ottawa. The Route Verte is a designated cycling route that connects Ottawa and southern Quebec with safe and beautiful cycling routes.
You can bike the Route Verte from downtown Ottawa to La Baie Park in just 25 minutes!
When arriving at the festival by bike, you will enter at 988 Saint Luis Street and be greeted by volunteers monitoring the free bike parking.
By Bus
Busing can also be a stress-free way to get to the festival! The 87 bus runs from Downtown Ottawa and stops just after the Lady Aberdeen Bridge. From there, is only a 10-minute walk to La Baie Park!
By Car
If you are driving to the festival, head to the Rue Saint Luis entrance near Rue de la Baie. This entrance has a festival-managed, designated parking area where you can safely park and walk to the festival grounds.
Volunteers will be on-site directing traffic and accepting the parking fee of $10 per day.
🚗 In need of transportation for the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival? I recommend renting one here. It’s my favorite car rental website!
Where to Stay During the Gatineau Balloon Festival
If you are attending the festival for the weekend, you will want to stay somewhere close by so you don’t miss any of the festivities.
La Baie Park is large, so any accommodation option will involve some walking to get to the heart of the festival. But there are some options for places to stay near the Gatineau balloon festival.
There are only a few hotels near La Baie Park, so be sure to book your room early!
1. Balloon Festival RV Campground
The best place to stay is within the festival itself! Consider bringing or renting an RV for the weekend and parking in the recreational vehicle campground with the other attendees.
About 1000 RVs call La Baie Park home for these 3 days per year, why not be one of them?
⛺Make the most of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival by camping on the Festival Campgrounds. I recommend renting for RVs here!
2. Kokomo Park Hotel
If the RV campground is not for you, the Kokomo Park Hotel might be a great option! This highly-rated hotel boasts beautiful views and is the closest hotel to the festival.
Guests love the views of the river, accommodating hosts, and comfortable beds.
3. Motel Adam
A simple, cozy, 3-star hotel that’s less than a 20-minute walk from La Baie Park. Guests speak very highly of the professional and accommodating staff.
It’s further from the park than Kokomo, but Motel Adam is more affordable, and guests love how accessible it is to the rest of Gatineau.
4. Hilton Lac-Leamy
If you’re looking to add some luxury to your trip, look no further than the Hilton Lac-Leamy.
This 4-star hotel in Ottawa has stunning lake views and every amenity you could need! Access to tennis courts, a fitness center, and a pool are included in your stay.
The Hilton Lac-Leamy is only 10 minutes by car and 15 minutes by bicycle from the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival.
More Things to Do in Ottawa in August
Looking for other activities for the end of summer in Ottawa? Check out these fall-fun festivities!
Go Apple Picking
Apple season in Canada goes from the end of August to October. Check out some of my favorite apple-picking locations if you want to extend your stay in Ottawa!
Visit a Local Beach
The final days of summer can still bring a lot of heat to the Ottawa area, so why not cool down at a local beach? The Ottawa River is lined with beautiful beaches to enjoy.
If you are looking for even activities near the air balloon festival, check out my full list of things to do in Ottawa in the summer!
FAQs About Ottawa Hot Air Balloon Festival
When do the balloons fly?
The balloons fly at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm, weather permitting.
If the balloons cannot take off from La Baie Park, they will use one of the two alternate locations: École Polyvalente de l’Érablière or Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport.
If it’s not safe to fly freely, conditions might allow the balloons to make a tethered flight.
Will the balloons fly in bad weather?
No, hot air balloons require specific weather conditions to safely lift off. Among other factors, winds need to be between 3 km & 14 km per hour (1.9 mi & 9 mi).
Pilots always have the right to make the final decision on whether or not it is safe to fly.
Can you ride in the hot air balloons?
Yes! One of the best things to do over the weekend is to take a hot air balloon ride at the Gatineau Festival.
Tickets for the balloons are sold separately for either the morning or evening flights. The festival staff arranges transportation from the landing site back to the festival, so you don’t have to worry about a thing!
What’s the cheapest way to go to the festival?
Registering to be a volunteer is a fun and affordable way to attend the balloon festival.
As a volunteer, you will only have to work for a few hours over the weekend. In exchange, you get access to the festivities for free!
Where can I watch the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival?
The best viewpoint for the balloon launches is La Baie Park, of course. Seeing them lift off from so close is an incredibly unique experience.
If you aren’t at La Baie Park, you could watch the balloon flights from across the river, like the Rockcliffe Lookout.
Wrap Up
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is a unique experience and a fun way to celebrate the end of summer with family and friends.
Taking part in the balloon activities, watching the music, and enjoying the evening fireworks displays are just some of the activities offered.
If you are looking to expand your festival experience, you might consider registering as a volunteer or spending the weekend in the RV park.
Whatever adventure you choose, attending the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is sure to be a memorable experience in Ottawa!
Read More Fun Things to Do in Ottawa this Summer
- 13 Best Gatineau Park Hiking Trails for Summer
- 60 Epic Things to Do in Ottawa in Summer (Local’s Guide)
- 25 Best Beaches in Ottawa From a Local!
- 5 Best Drive-in Theatres Ottawa (A Local’s Guide)
- Ottawa Zipline Experience: Why You Need to Zipline Between Provinces!
- 6 Best Ottawa Wine Tours & Tastings
- 12 Best Ottawa Hotels With Jacuzzi In Room
- A Local’s Guide To Pink Lake in Gatineau Park
- Complete Guide to Parc Omega Wildlife Park from Ottawa
- 4 Best Places for Go Karting in Ottawa (Local’s Guide)
- Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival: The Ultimate Guide
Ottawa Travel Planning Guide
🚑 Should I buy Ottawa travel insurance?
100% YES! — There’s a misconception that Canada has “free healthcare” for everyone. Nope! Only Canadians. So you’ll need to get travel insurance to visit Ottawa. I recommend this one.
💧Can you drink the tap water in Ottawa?
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🚙💨 Do I need to rent a car in Ottawa?
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