The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is world famous, and it should be. It’s the granddaddy of balloon festivals for sure. But you don’t have to wait until October or practically win the lottery getting a reservation. Lake Havasu has a fun option for you and I guarantee you’ll have just as much fun.
The Lake Havasu Balloon Fest is held every January, which is a great time to be in Arizona. While much of the country is in a deep freeze, daytime temps in Havasu are mild. Nighttime temps are crisp, perfect for gathering around a campfire. The sun shines bright and I bet you’ll even need some sunscreen. An Arizona sunset is a different colorful masterpiece every single night.
The first seven festivals were held on the island and the last two have been on nearby Windsor Beach, part of Lake Havasu State Park. I’m not totally sure why they moved locations but I’m sure it’s growing popularity had something to do with it.
Our first time at the Lake Havasu Balloon Fest was in 2016. Our dear friends, Shawn and Lisa, had been to every previous one and told us how much fun it was. We quickly made camping reservations and I am so glad we did.
Camping, both on the island and at Windsor Beach is rally style, dry camping. Check-in is a breeze and the camp host volunteers have all been very nice. This year we camped as a group of four RVs and they had a space set aside for us that allowed us to camp in a square with plenty of room in the middle. We choose to camp in the closest lot so we can walk to the festival area, there is a free shuttle that runs from all camping areas so you don’t need to drive to park. There are many lots that are paved but we don’t mind the hard packed dirt. We really lucked out this year as launch field was maybe 200 feet from the front of our RV. We walked out our door and there they were.
The star of the show is the balloons. The opening ascension is Thursday afternoon followed by a balloon glow later that night. Friday, Saturday and Sunday all have a morning and afternoon ascension and a nightly balloon glow. If you’ve never been to a balloon festival, you are in for a treat. You can walk among them as the balloon crews get them ready for launch. There are traditional balloons as well as many shaped ones. The wind will take them up and away, but many of the pilots navigate over to the channel, the water between the city and the island, for a quick basket touch on the water. Standing on the bridge is a great place for pictures.
So is being on a boat. We haven’t been on a boat for a morning ascension, that’s still on my list to do, but we did get to see the night glow from the water this trip. Lisa’s brother Lonnie belongs to the London Bridge Yacht Club and he invited us to join their group on Friday night. We started in the island marina with drinks and appetizers before we motored out. As the sun set we ate dinner and talked with all of our new friends, everyone was so nice. Members of the club get together every Friday and take turns hosting dinner. This night was Lonnie & Sharon’s turn and they cooked up a delicious feast.
We slowly made our way north through the channel, under the famous bridge and towards Windsor Beach. The captain stopped at a perfect viewing spot of the night’s balloon glow. It’s pretty to see up close standing among the balloons but it’s a different kind of pretty with their reflection on the water. I took way too many pictures and a few videos, too.
The morning ascension is at 8:30 with the afternoon session going off at 4:30. After the morning ascension, it’s breakfast feast time. We call the afternoon ascension the Happy Hour launch. The balloon glow is about 6:30, right after dinner.
When the festival was on the island, we would hustle over to the golf course where launch field was, unless we stayed up too late playing a rousing game of Mexican Train. Our second time the weather was awful and they only launched Sunday morning. I felt so bad for vendors as the festival area was a muddy mess. This year the weather was great, every launch and glow happened except the Saturday night balloon glow, due to wind.
Lonnie was my “money shot” photographer standing on the bridge taking amazing pictures. When Darth Vader took off from the launch field we couldn’t see he face and he never spun enough for us but Lonnie was in perfect spot for a great photo. If only Yoda was with him.
After morning ascension and breakfast it’s time for fun. We normally head down toward Parker to Desert Bar. It’s a fun outdoor restaurant/bar in the middle of the desolate desert and is a fun way to spend the day.
The festival has stuff going on all day and into the evening. There is a stage in the main food area that features local bands all afternoon and into the night. Matt Farris is a rising country star that also happens to be a Lake Havasu boy and has headlined many of the festivals. There are also lots of vendor booths to wander through. They have a large kids play area with younger themed carnival games and many bounce houses. If you’ve always wanted to take a balloon ride but want it in a controlled environment, then the tethered balloon ride is for you, and they are offered all day. The festival really has something fun for everyone.
As with any trip, I’m always a little sad when it’s time to leave. I’ve already checked for 2020 dates but alas, they haven’t been published yet, bummer. I’ll keep checking because it’s never too early to plan a balloon trip.