In the early winter of 1998, a small event named the Pennsbury Land Trust Balloon Festival was founded. At that time, the goal was to create a fun and uplifting way to spotlight the area, share our passion for hot air balloons, and spread awareness about the conservation efforts of the Pennsbury Land Trust.
Over the six-year span of the Pennsbury Land Trust Balloon Festival, our event weathered more than its fair share of challenges. During our first festival, Hurricane Floyd dumped 15 inches of rain in just 24 hours. The festival area was flooded. Our staff, pilots, crew, vendors, and spectators refused to be deterred. Against all odds, the festival was able to take place. Many great stories and adventures came out of that festival. A large number of roads in the area were blocked, and our landing sites were extremely limited. Some balloons even needed aid from locals to pull them out of the mud.
Just two short years later, our Nation was attacked on September 11, 2001. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, all aviation including Hot Air Balloons, were grounded. With an event already scheduled for that weekend, our amazing team came together and were granted permission from the FAA to stand up the balloons. Their only restriction was that under no circumstances could any balloons leave the ground. What happened next was truly unforgettable. Our spirits were enlightened as each balloon stood up in unison to the sound of our National Anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner. The crowd proudly displayed their patriotism, and as prayers for those lost were offered, you could barely hear a pin drop. Despite this unimaginable tragedy our country was still processing, we were all able to take some time to reflect and remember what it meant to be an American. United we all stood!
Within the next few years, the annual festival was both outgrowing its location, as well as we were looking to expand our abilities to help give back to our community. We found a both a new home and a new philanthropic purpose. The festival was renamed the West Bradford Youth Association (WBYA) Festival. Our mission moved to help raise funds to maintain the soccer fields for the area youth. The new location was the Embreeville State Hospital Complex.
The festival continued to evolve and we finally settled on a name that remains with us today, the Chester County Balloon Festival. A few years after this change, we were once again tasked with looking for a new location as the Embreeville State Hospital Complex was sold to a developer. Although the soccer fields remained; there would no longer be enough parking available to host an event the size of the balloon festival.
Plantation Field in Unionville became the new home of the Chester County Balloon Festival. Located between Kennett Square and Coatesville, the grassy horse fields were perfect for balloon launches. The festival continued to support the WBYA, however was also able to contribute to the preservation of the new venue.
As the Balloon Festival continued to grow in popularity, we faced the need to change locations, once again, due to the available space at the equestrian property. The increase in attendance, as well as parking limitations, coupled with the growing traffic congestion on local roads which were affecting the local residents, it was once again time to find a larger venue that could accommodate us. The New Garden Airport near Avondale, also known as the New Garden Flying Field (N57), became the next home of the Chester County Balloon Festival. It was at this airport that the festival really “Took off”. The increase in parking spaces supported the influx of new attendees. The airport venue gave us room to bring in more vendors, additional space for food trucks, and aviation attractions. The festival also expanded its charitable mission with proceeds benefiting the Chester County Hero Fund as well as other local community organizations. Over the next five years, the festival became a major attraction, setting record attendance rates.
As with our past experience, as attendance grew, we were faced with the need to once again find a new venue. We found a new home on the beautiful equestrian grounds of Willowdale at Steeple Chase, in Kennett Square. A scenic setting for the balloon launches, coupled with expansive open fields, allowed us to continue to grow. This new space offered us more room for bands, car shows and a beer and wine garden, while also providing space for a grand viewing area. The new location also offered improved amenities for our growing vendors, including both electrical and water hookups.
Today, the Chester County Balloon Festival calls the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds home. Nestled on 33 beautiful acres of spacious Northern Chester County landscape, this new location gives the Balloon Festival expansive open spaces, allowing for live music, walk-through balloon experiences, tethered balloon rides, a kid's entertainment area and petting zoo, a car show, touch-a-truck, on top of the vast variety of food trucks and craft vendors. The picturesque setting offers excellent viewing areas for both glow balloons and flights, ample parking and a great infrastructure to support this ever-growing event. The surrounding trees create a natural bowl that helps shield the balloons from wind gusts which provides added protection for our balloonists during both setup and launches. In addition, the venue is conveniently located near major roadways including the PA Turnpike, Routes 100,113, and 422. We are excited to showcase the natural beauty of the area while sharing the wonder and excitement of hot air balloons with our festival family, both old and new. We look forward to continuing a tradition that has become a special part of Chester County.
From the early roots as a small community event to the festival you know today, the Chester County Balloon Festival is so proud to welcome our "balloon family" back year after year. We hope you will join us and become part of this tradition in Southeastern Pennsylvania. “Let your dreams take flight.”
