10th Annual Paris Balloon & Music Festival: September 11-12 at Red River Valley Fairgrounds

About the festival

Organized by the Paris Balloon and Music Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the festival has grown into one of Northeast Texas' signature fall weekends. Alongside the hot air balloons, guests will find more than 50 vendors, food trucks, a kids zone, a classic car show, monster truck rides, and plenty of open lawn for families to spread out under the evening sky. .

The balloon glow, typically at dusk both evenings (weather permitting, is the centerpiece:crews fire up the burners so the envelopes glow against the darkening sky. Tethered balloon rides offer a closer look, while Saturday and Sunday morning balloon launches take off around 7:00 to 7:45 AM, weather permitting, for early risers across the county. The festival closes out Saturday morning with a 5K race on the fairgrounds (start 8:00 AM, $40 registration, $25 ages 6-18.

Lineup: two nights of live music

Live music runs both nights on the festival grounds between vendor rows and the balloon field. Stoney Musgrove headlines Friday night, and the Jukebox Heroes take the stage Saturday night, keeping energy high through the evening accordance with the festival's published schedule. With gates opening at 5:00 PM and music starting at 6:00 PM, there is time to grab dinner from a food truck, browse vendors, and settle in before the first glow. .

Venue and the fairgrounds

Red River Valley Fairgrounds, also called the Lamar County Fairgrounds, sits at 570 E Center Street on Paris's east side and regularly hosts community festivals and events throughout the year. The open field layout gives balloon crews room to inflate, launch, and glow close to the vendor midway, making it an ideal backdrop for a festival that draws visitors from across Lamar County and beyond.

For Paris-area residents, the festival is a homegrown weekend that shows off the community's volunteer energy and small-town hospitality. For visitors, it is a chance to experience one of the region's most colorful fall traditions without leaving the county.

Planning your visit

Festival hours run 5:00 to 9:30 PM both nights. Come early to watch crews inflate balloons in the late afternoon, then stick around for the glow at dusk. Day-of tickets are available at the gate, or advance details through the official festival website. The Saturday-morning 5K is a great way to make a full weekend of it, with registration the official site or RunSignUp. Parking is on-site at the fairgrounds, and the vendor midway opens with the gates.