Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival

The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival is June 2-4. The event now includes entertainment, vendors, camping, food, beer, and of course hot air balloons and wine. Entertainment this year will include The Motels, Dramarama, Nu Shooz, Tommy Tutone, and more. There is surprisingly still a few camping spots that haven’t been swooped up. Claim yours here while they’re still available!

This festival is one with a history of more than 30 years. The first Balloon and Wine Festival was launched in the Spring of 1984 and was a monumental success for a town of only 9,000 residents. More than 4,000 people were in attendance for the inaugural event. Throughout the years, this festival has grown more and more, and has become one of Temecula’s most iconic events.

Aside from the food, wine, and balloons, there will also be kids faire, arts & crafts, and commercial exhibits. Hot air balloon lifts will begin at sunrise and they will ascend into the sapphire skies above Lake Skinner. Wine tasting features different premium wines from numerous Temecula Valley wineries as well as others from Southern California. While hot air balloons are the dawn highlights, Temecula’s wine industry shines throughout the day with 17 wineries represented in the wine gardens. The Festival offers guests a variety of ways to discover their favorite. Wine tasting is $2 per taste. A premium tasting treat, reserve packages include a larger wine glass, and eight tastes of reserve wines for $50. Full glasses can be purchased for $8.

The festival will include sunrise morning balloon launches, morning balloon tethers, and evening balloon glows. These three events are all beautiful in their own rite. The sunrise morning balloon launch allows onlookers to see the magic of the hot air balloon process. Spectators will watch as a lifeless piece of fabric comes to life and turns into a glorious hot air balloon. Lauches all occur at sunrise, creating a breathtaking backdrop to start a new day. Morning balloon tethers give participants the gift of flight (and for free!) A balloon is tethered to the ground with ropes and then ascends 50-75 feet into the air. Lines can be long for the tethered balloon ride, so make sure to arrive early. The evening balloon glow is a spectacular night time show and a Festival favorite. The glow begins after sunset on Friday & Saturday evenings when the winds calm. The balloons will inflate and ignite their burners in a magical dance. Bring lawn chairs, family, and friends, this is event is a must see!

Tickets start at $23 and include festival admittance and general admission seating to all concerts. Children 5 and under are free. This festival will be one for the books! We hope to see you there.