Riding high on the success of its inaugural event in 2023, the Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival will return this Saturday, Aug. 10, at BREC’s Zachary Community Park—a location large enough to hold the festival’s anticipated crowds and many activities.
The event’s founders and organizers, Shawnel Hebert and Ashleigh McHugh, dreamed of this event for many years. Both established figures in the community and wives of hot air balloon pilots, they have been working to give Zachary an event they think it deserves.
A partnership with Downtown Live, the organization that hosts the town’s free community concert series, made it possible in 2023.
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“I’ve always wanted a festival in my hometown. Two, three years leading up to (last year’s event), no one wanted to take the leap of faith with sponsorships. But finally, the Downtown Live committee took the leap and hosted the first annual balloon fest last year,” says McHugh, who also serves as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Zachary. “As a committee member and a Zachary resident, I’m thrilled that it’s back for the second year.”
The festivities will start at sunrise, around 6:30 a.m., with a traditional balloon flyover. Residents and visitors are encouraged to keep a lookout for the balloons Saturday morning as they float around the Zachary skies before the events begin. At noon, the festival will officially open to the public.
Small businesses and vendors will set up booths where attendees can shop local, Hebert says, and it’s a requirement that everything sold must be handmade by the vendor. There will also be plenty of activities to keep the whole family occupied. Popular food trucks like Caribbean Express, Capitol Seafood, That’s A Wrap and more will be on-site, and other vendors will be serving up refreshments, like lemonade, coffee and Italian ice.
From noon to 4 p.m., local acts like DJ Rodney Brown, and duo Lucy Yoes and Justin Shotwell will perform. The festival’s headliner, The Chase Tyler Band, will close out the night from 6-9 p.m. There will be a kid’s zone, face painting, a mechanical bull, a photo booth and a car show for all ages. There’s also a splash pad at Zachary Community Park, where kids can cool off.
But of course, a hot air balloon festival would not be complete without its hot air balloons. Weather permitting, pilots will offer tethered rides in the evening, starting at 6 p.m. Tethered rides are $20 for those ages 13 and up, while kids under 13 are $15.
The event will close out with its traditional sunset glow, when the balloons will fire up, making for a spectacular show against the darkening sky.
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McHugh and Hebert say the festival has already made an impact on the community.
“It’s the first event of this size that we’ve had in Zachary. It’s drawn people from all over, like New Orleans and Mississippi, which has had a huge impact on our economy. Local restaurants had the biggest sales of the year last year. Local hotels filled up from people traveling from out of town,” McHugh says. “My goal was always to have big events like this. Zachary deserves to be recognized.”
The Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival will run from noon to 9 p.m. at BREC’s Zachary Community Park, 20055 Old Scenic Highway in Zachary. Find more information and updates at the Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival Facebook page.