I love hot air balloons and I have for as long as I can remember. I went up in one in Albuquerque in 2015 and loved it! I haven’t gone up since then but I’ve looked for hot air balloon rides most places I go.
Well, I didn’t go up in one at the Lake Powell Balloon Regatta but I did get to watch them launch up close one morning and I loved that so it was all OK.
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Also, this isn’t a regatta gala, there is no gala, I just love saying regatta gala (it’s from Friends, in case you haven’t seen that episode.) Today I’m going to share tons of pictures and all the information you need to know if you’re going to visit the Page Balloon Regatta in 2022.
The Page Balloon Regatta and the Lake Powell Balloon Regatta are the same thing, I just use both names. It’s a little hot air balloon festival in Arizona where more than 60 pilots take to the skies in their balloons and while I was hoping I would be able to go up in one of the balloons and I probably could have but I also didn’t try that hard.
If you volunteer on a balloon crew, you can usually go for a ride on the last morning. I almost did it but my parents were visiting and I didn’t want to use four mornings up with required activities. I also didn’t know if it would be all day things or just mornings but we had a lot to see and do so I skipped it.
Instead, we went and watched the balloons launch on Saturday morning then went to Antelope Canyon X during the day, and the balloon glow that night.
I loved watching the balloons launch, getting to walk around all of them on the golf course. There were some pretty cool balloons, too. I liked the launch more than the balloon glow.
I had high expectations for the balloon glow for some reason and it was cool but it was also a little bit of a let down. I liked seeing the balloons up close and it was cool seeing them glowing at night.
But it sounds like they’ll be steadily glowing and they’re not. Which, I guess makes sense because then they probably wouldn’t stay on the ground and I would imagine it would be expensive.
The balloons line the street and the pilots would turn the fire on and off. It’s fun to see but they were almost never all glowing at once. Even just like, three or four in a row glowing at once almost never happened.
The balloon glow portion also ended sooner than the schedule said it would. Which was ok because we saw everything but it was like OK, this part is done apparently and they were all packing up immediately and quickly.
I’m glad we got to see that part but it wasn’t as exciting as I expected. And it was busy, especially walking through the little vendor stalls.
We didn’t go to the street fair portion at all but none of use are big live music or beer garden people so I don’t feel like I missed out there. I’m just in it for the balloons.
When is the Page Balloon Regatta in 2022?
The Lake Powell Balloon Regatta is usually the first weekend in November. In 2022 is is November 3 – November 6. It technically starts on a Thursday but that’s more for pilots. The first flights will be on Friday.
Where is the Lake Powell Balloon Regatta?
The balloons launch from the Lake Powell Golf Course, the balloon glow is on Lake Powell Blvd, and the street fair is on Elm Street.
When do the balloons launch?
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings at 7AM, weather permitting.
Can you go up in the balloons?
If you’re a sponsor or volunteering on a crew, you can. If you’re part of a crew, I think it will depend on the pilot. But those are the only ways to actually go up on a flight at the Page Balloon Regatta.
What other things are at the Balloon Regatta?
There is a balloon glow one night where they line Lake Powell Blvd and, well, glow! There is also a street fair and beer garden with live music, games, and vendors.
Is the Page Balloon Regatta worth going to?
Yes, if you’re in the area. I wouldn’t go way out of my way for it but if you’re within an hour or so of Page, it’s worth it. If you want to go to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and think this will be like that, it’s not.
It’s a lot smaller but it’s cool being able to watch the balloons set up, launch, fly, and land. You can add it to your southwest bucket list of small hot air balloon festivals along with Kanab and Bluff!
The launching was definitely the best part. And like I said, I wouldn’t go more than an hour out of my way for this. If you happen to be passing through it would be worth sticking around for one day of but I wouldn’t plan a trip around this.
Other things to do in Page
- Visit Horseshoe Bend
- Do a slot canyon tour
- Hike the Hanging Garden Trail
- Visit Navajo National Monument
- Hike the New Wave Trail
- Visit Lake Powell
- Visit Lee’s Ferry
Page, AZ tours
- Upper Antelope Canyon
- Lower Antelope Canyon/Horseshoe Bend half-day tour
- Half-day tour of Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons
- Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell Flight, River Rafting
- Horseshoe Bend helicopter flight
- Helicopter tour with Tower Butte landing
- Secret Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Page Balloon Regatta photo gallery
Have you been to the Lake Powell Balloon Regatta? What did you think. of t? Do you want to go? Have you been to any other hot air balloon festivals?