Color Aloft Hot Air Balloon Festival {Grayslake}

It’s August, and you know what that means! No, not back to school (at this point we’ve all heard enough about that) — but it is once again time for the Color Aloft Balloon Festival in Grayslake, hosted by the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce. This is the 5th annual festival, and it’s still one of the hottest (get it?!) FREE tickets in Lake County! If you’ve never had the fortune to see a hot air balloon up close, put this event on your calendar. Old or young, hot air balloons will delight most everyone with their colorful whimsy.

This event will once again include musical entertainment, children’s activities, storytelling, and local businesses with booths to keep everyone busy and entertained during the evening. If the weather and conditions are right, the balloons will inflate and take off between 5:30 p.m. and  7:00 p.m. in a classic “Fox and the Hound” hunt where one balloon (the fox) takes off and the other balloons (the hounds) chase after it.

Once the sun sets, the balloons return to the ground and show off their magnificent “glow” up close.  If you’re lucky, some balloon pilots even let people into the baskets.  For many festival goers, the nighttime views are truly the most magical part of the event, and for good reason.

If you plan to attend this year’s festival, here are a few things to know:

• There are no food vendors at this event, so pack a picnic or grab a bite in town (check out some of Jenna’s suggestions here).
• Parking is available at Grayslake Central High School, Grayslake Middle School, Grayslake Aquatic Center, and the Grayslake Library.
• Times are approximate and the event is WEATHER DEPENDENT.

Melissa attended the festival in 2013. You can read about the first annual event here.

4th Annual Color Aloft Balloon Festival
August 26, 2017  4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Central Park, 250 Library Lane, Grayslake
Hosted by the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce  |  (847) 223-6888

Have you been to the Color Aloft Balloon Festival? What was your favorite moment?