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Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival
September 25, 2020 @ 5:00 am - September 27, 2020 @ 1:00 pm
Hot air balloon enthusiasts will get their own chance to indulge their passion while remaining in their vehicles Sept. 25-27, when organizers of the Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival hold a drive-in edition for their 29th annual event.
The event will be bereft of the carnival atmosphere that was added in recent years, with a description that sounds closer to its roots as a free event focused on watching balloons.
The gathering is set for Tymor Park in Union Vale, but there will be no restrooms, family activities, live music or yard games. There won’t be any food or beverage vendors and balloon rides will not be available to the public. But attendees can watch from inside their vehicle or outside, by maintaining a socially distanced space away from others.
What organizers are calling a $10 “donation” must be paid in advance and will secure a spot for one vehicle to park “drive-in style” at launches scheduled for Sept. 25, 26 and 27. The program will also feature “illumination moon glow” launches at night.
“Watch the hot-air balloons from the comfort of your own vehicle,” reads an announcement from the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which stages the event. “Bring food, beverages, blankets and chairs and stay socially distanced in your own space.”
One component of the county’s more than half-billion dollar tourism industry, the balloon festival was originally scheduled for July at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck. But state restrictions on public gatherings since the pandemic tightened its grip in March have forced the cancellation and postponement of many events.
“Face coverings are required when social distancing cannot be observed, and failure to follow this state regulation will result in your removal from the grounds,” reads the announcement. Balloon inflations will be at the discretion of the pilot and are dependent on wind and weather conditions.
This year’s Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival is set for Sept. 25-27 at Tymor Park in Union Vale. But there will be no restrooms, family activities, live music or yard games. Spectators at the 29th annual event must stay in their vehicles to watch the balloons in a drive-in format due to the pandemic.