Old West Balloon Fest

09/24/2024

As Balloon Glow and Drone Show 2.0 have now come to a close, wrapping up the events of our 2024 festival, we'd like to again say a very heartfelt thank you to our event sponsors, balloon pilots and crew, volunteers, guests near and far and the local community for helping make this, our 10th Anniversary, another very special and fun-filled event.

We hope you'll join us for another year of magic in the Western Nebraska sky. Save the Date: August 15-17, 2025🎈✨

2024 Drone show by Skyworx Drone Shows

09/22/2024

We are underway for our Balloon Glow and Drone Show 2.0 here at Mitchell Airfield. Come join the fun!

🍔🍦More than a dozen food vendors with all kinds of tasty treats
🎃Pumpkins, local honey, plants, hand sewn bags and other local merchants
🎶Live Music
🎈Balloons at sunset
✨Drone show at 8pm

Don’t forget your lawn chairs (or something else to sit on) and your jackets and layers.

09/19/2024

We're just a few short days from our Balloon Glow and Drone Show 2.0! As you prepare to join us at Mitchell Airfield for a fun evening, a few reminders:
🪑 Be sure to bring your lawn chair or picnic blanket to enjoy the show. Public seating will NOT be provided.
👕🧥 Dress in layers; it will be cool as the sun sets!
🍔🛍 A variety of food trucks and craft vendors will be on site for dinner, evening treats and your shopping pleasure.
🐾 No pets, please.

🗓Saturday, September 21st
🕠 Gates and Parking open at 4:30pm
📍Mitchell Airfield (60653 Mitchell South Rd, Mitchell, NE 69357)
🎈Balloon Glow at Sunset (weather permitting)
✨Drone Show at 8pm
🎟 FREE Admission

Rain🌧 or Shine☀️
(but no lightening ⚡️)

Our Executive Team and local communities look forward to welcoming you for this evening of lights in the Western Nebraska sky.

09/18/2024

❗️Update: Position has now been filled. ❗️

We're in search of 1 person to assist Skyworx, our drone show production company, with this Saturday's show. This is a paid position and you must be 18 years or older.

🗓Saturday, September 21st
🕒 3pm - Midnight
📍Mitchell Airfield
✉️ Direct Message The Old West Balloon Fest on Facebook to express your interest!

08/27/2024

📣MARK YOUR CALENDARS!📣
Balloon Glow & Drone Show 2.0

Saturday, September 21st, 2024
📍Mitchell Airfield (60653 Mitchell South Rd, Mitchell, NE 69357)
🕠 Gates Open at 4:30pm
🎈Balloon Glow at Sunset (weather permitting)
✨Drone Show at 8pm
🎟Entry is FREE

Balloons, Food & Craft Vendors, Official Merchandise and more! - A Fun Night for All!

08/12/2024

Yesterday's wiener dog race was a hilarious venture of controlled chaos as we had over 20 doggies race toward the finish line in various age categories. Thanks to all our wiener dogs, their families and the many spectators that came out to cheer on the races.

We're pleased to share that thanks to the generosity of those attending, we will be making a donation in the amount of $550 to the Panhandle Humane Society.🐾

08/10/2024

🎈✨Saturday Evening Updates from the ✨🎈Balloon Field

8:30pm - Thank you for everyone’s patience. Our team has made the difficult decision that all events, including the drone show, have been cancelled. This was not the decision any of our team wanted to have to make, BUT we do plan to re-schedule the drones as a FREE community event at a date in the near future. We will provide that date as soon as it’s available. Thank you to everyone who came out to our 2024 Old West Balloom Fest.

7:35pm update - Our weather team has identified lightening in the area of the balloon field. We are asking all attendees to please wait in their vehicles while this storm cell passes. We will continue to provide updates as our safety team monitors the weather in the balloon field area. The drone show IS STILL ON.

5:30pm - We are underway here at Mitchell Airfield. There are many vendors with tasty treats, a beer garden, craft vendors and live music while you wait for sunset and our balloons and ✨DRONE SHOW✨
Our weather team continues to be in close contact with the National Weather service regarding weather and events are proceeding as scheduled. We will post any additional updates to this post as they are available.

Send a message to learn more

08/10/2024

We’ve enjoyed hosting many attendees from near and far for this 10th anniversary of our reinflation festival. If you’re coming out to tonight’s closing activities, be sure to add a 📌 to our map in the discovery tent of where YOU have joined us from! ✨🎈

08/10/2024

Saturday morning events have concluded at Mitchell Airfield but there’s plenty still happening in downtown Mitchell until evening activities kickoff at Mitchell Airfield:

🐾Wiener dog races at Kiwanis Park - 11am
📍Craft Fair on Center Avenue in Mitchell - until 2:30pm

✨Gates for the Night glow and drone show open at 5:30pm at Mitchell Airfield

08/10/2024

Saturday Morning Update from the Balloon Field

☁️7:45am - Following our most recent weather briefing, our weather team and pilots are going to start “staticing” their balloons, meaning they will stand up on the ground.🎈

⚠️6:40am - Our weather hold continues, but our special shaped balloons are currently inflating on the field. Check out “Something Fishy” and “Snowbird” on our balloon field. Once inflated, stop by and ask those balloon pilots for their trading card! We will continue to make updates as weather is reviewed.

⚠️6:05am - Following our first weather briefing, we are currently on a weather hold due to the low weather ceiling over the field. Our weather team are continuing to monitor and another update will be posted following our next weather briefing. If it is ultimately determined flight is not possible, our balloons will do a static display of the balloons standing up on the field. 🎈

08/09/2024

All Saturday events for the 2024 Old West Balloon Fest are still on as scheduled 🎈

It’s a jam-packed day of fun:
🎈Mass Ascension at Mitchell Airfield - gates open at 5:30am
📍Craft Fair on Center Avenue in Downtown Mitchell, NE - 7:30am - 2:30pm
🐾 Wiener Dog Race at Kiwanis Park in Mitchell, NE - 11am
✨Night Glow and Drone Show at Mitchell Airfield - gates open at 5:30pm (glow at sunset, drone show at 9pm)

A $20 event pass gets a carload in for all OWBF 2024 festival events. Passes will be available at the gates (cash only) or can be purchased at local Platte Valley and FNBO bank locations.

Don’t miss out on our closing day of the 2024 Old West Balloon Fest!

08/09/2024

🎈Friday Update from the Field 🎈
7:25am - Our weather team has determined that current weather is not safe enough for flight this morning. Join us for our final day of fun tomorrow, Saturday, August 10th beginning with mass ascension at Mitchell Airfield. Gates open at 5:30am.

6:05am - We are currently on a yellow flag weather hold. Plenty still happening at Mitchell Airfield; learn about ballooning in our discovery center, visit our official merchandise tent and enjoy an array of items from our local vendors.

08/09/2024

🎈Update from the balloon field🎈
7:45pm - it’s a green flag here at the field for a mix of candlesticks and a few balloons standing up glowing. Make your way around the field to interact with pilots. They’re happy to talk with you about ballooning. Don’t forget to ask pilots for their official balloon card!

6:50pm - The fun is underway here at WNCC. Food and merchants are here for you while you wait for the balloons. Come out and join the fun of our opening night 2024.

08/08/2024

✨Opening night glow is still a go for tonight at WNCC. ✨
Gates will open at 5:30pm 🎈

08/08/2024

Congratulations to the 2024 Old West Balloon Fest Window Decorating Contest Winners:

🏆Best Host Community Theme - Riverstone Bank in Gering
🏆Best Use of Color - BigMack HVAC in Gering
🏆Best Creative Display - Platte Valley Bank in Gering
🏆Honorable Mention - Compliments in Scottsbluff

Thank you to all area businesses that participated in this year's event 🎈

Businesses in Mitchell, Scottsbluff, Gering, and Morrill participated in the “Downtown Window Decorating” Contest to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Old West Balloon Fest. Judges were picked from…

08/08/2024

✨🎈24 Hours to Opening Night!🎈✨