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Sunday January 04, 2026
The Hot Air Balloon Festival, officially the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF), is the premiere hot air balloon event in the country, traditionally held every February.
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| A vibrant and crowded outdoor scene at the festival. |
Known as “A Weekend of Everything that Flies”, this grand aviation sports event features an impressive launch of vibrant, special-shaped balloons, spectacular night glows, exciting drone racing, and captivating skydiving exhibitions.
The festival typically runs from 6:00am to 7:30pm, with gates opening as early as 4:30am for those eager to catch the breathtaking sunrise launches.
Balloons start to inflate and take flight shortly after 5:30am, as they are extremely sensitive to the heat that develops as the day goes on.
This meant I had to leave really early, before 5:00am, so as not to miss the early morning take-offs. Also, arriving early is essential to secure a prime viewing spot. In addition, parking can get extremely congested if you arrive late, and you might end up farther away from the actual event site.
On this particular trip, I traveled with a few friends from our flickr photo group.
I took over a hundred photos, and found it challenging to choose which ones to share. Here are some that I think convey the essence of the festival.
Pre-Launch Activity
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| 6:49am. The evolution of flight: Balloons alongside twin-engine turboprop aircraft. |
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| 6:53am. Balloons getting prepped-up behind a single-engine light aircraft. |
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| 6:58am. A brightly colored Swiss-registered balloon energizing as it fills with hot air. |
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| 7:01am. A novelty hot air balloon shaped like a classic Coca-Cola bottle, alongside other balloons. |
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| 7:03am. Several large, colorful hot air balloons in various stages of inflation and positioning. |
Lift Off
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| 7:04am. The vibrant Swiss-registered balloon ascending into the sky. |
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| 7:05am. Multiple hot air balloons drifting in mid-air. |
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| 7:09am. Up, up and away: a single hot air balloon floating mid-air. |
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| 7:09am. Several hot air balloons, including uniquely shaped ones, positioned against the sunrise sky. |
The festival, which has its historical origins in the Omni Aviation Complex located within the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, has officially moved to its new location at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, since 1918.
The expansive venue centers around the New Clark City Athletics Stadium and its adjacent open festival grounds, providing larger facilities and modern infrastructure to accommodate the growing crowds.
Tickets for the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta can be purchased through two main official platforms:
- Official Ticketing Portal (HelixPay): The organizers use a dedicated online portal powered by HelixPay to process direct ticket sales.
- Klook: The main authorized online travel and ticketing partner for the event, where you can choose your specific day and ticket tier (General Admission, Lecture package, or VIP).
To be continued ...
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