Hot Air Balloon Glo Festival to return in September

Published 3:24 pm Friday, August 1, 2025

BRIDGE CITY — Last year’s Hot Air Balloon Glo Festival was so successful that organizers are bringing it back again for an even bigger and better year.

Bridge City Director Mandy Lyda said they saw upwards of 7,000 people attend the event. This year’s event is set for noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at Bridge City intermediate/elementary school grounds on West Roundbunch Road.

Tickets are $10 each and children six and under get in free. There will be food vendors, art and crafts vendors, bands and a kids zone with bounce houses and a petting zoo. 

The main attraction is the hot air balloons which will glow when it gets dark outside. Patrons can take a tethered balloon ride for $25.

Lyda got the idea for the festival after visiting a hot air balloon glo festival in another area. She thought “surely we can do this in our area.” She brought the idea to the Bridge City Chamber of Commerce Board, they agreed with the idea and soon they were planning for the 2024 event.

“We had almost 7,000 visitors last year,” Lyda said, adding that organizers were blown away by the turnout. “We didn’t know how, but we were very thankful to be able to get such a good event for the community and something everyone can come to.”

She called it “good clean fun” and something the kids and adults alike enjoyed.

This year the event will open earlier in the day — noon — to allow patrons more time to visit vendors and check out the bounce house.

“Put it on your calendars and make plans to come enjoy the day and evening with us,” she said. “We’re excited to host it again.”

The Chamber is the host and Golden Triangle Polymers  is the title sponsor.

Currently the chamber is seeking arts and crafts vendors. There are no food vendor spaces available. For more information, call the Bridge City Chamber at 409-735-5671.