Pilot Mound's Hot Air Balloon Festival

Pilot Mound is located 12 miles north of the U.S. border in southern Manitoba. Click on the image to view a map.

Hot Air Balloon Flies off Into The Sunset

Hot Air Balloon Flies off Into The Sunset

Hot Air Balloon Beautifully Silhouetted Against the Sunset

Photo by Betty Maurice
Esterhazy, SK

Lots of action to take in again this year at Pilot Mound's Balloon Festival. This year the weekend has been planned in conjunction with Mound Fest, the annual recreation baseball tournament held every year for the past 10 years.

Hot Air Balloon Rides

The time slots are already starting to fill, so if you want to go for a quiet, smooth, and relaxing hot-air balloon ride, don't delay as you may miss out! Pre-booking is required, with a $100 deposit. Contact Larry Bridges at 204-825-2442 to book your ride or for more information about hot-air ballooning.

Your deposit is fully refundable should the weather not co-operate. You can also re-book your hot-air balloon ride through Balloons Aloft as an alternative to a refund.

The balloon ride will take off early morning (sunrise) or in the evening (2 hours prior to sunset) when the weather is the calmest. Hot Air Balloons are not able to fly during the day due to thermal activity, which makes the air unstable.

You will be able to be a part of watching how the balloons are assembled for takeoff which is an interesting education in itself. Once aboard your trip you fly where the winds take you giving you a ride that will be at least an hour long over the countryside.

The balloon travels the same speed as the wind, and an average flight is approximately 15 km in length.

Hot Air Balloons cannot be steered like a plane or helicopter. Balloons travel only in the direction of the wind. Though the altitude record for Hot Air Ballooning is 64,997 feet, the height of passenger flights range anywhere from treetops up to 1,500 feet.

A flight crew will be on the ground following the balloon while the pilot and crew keep connected by CB radio or telephone. There is no telling where this magical trip will take you but you are promised a beautiful and relaxing ride above your home town area.

For more information please contact:

Larry Bridges at 825-2442
Darcey Mosquin 825-2500
or visit the Balloons Aloft Website for lots more information.

Highlights of the weekend:

Friday - Golf Tournament, Farmer's Market, Ball tournament, Steak Fry, Outdoor social & more....

Saturday - Water Balloon Tournament, Children's Entertainers/Activities, Golf Tournament, Ball tournament, Street Dance & more...

Sunday - Interdenominational Church Service, Pancake Breakfast, Ball tournament, Golf Tournament, ATV Mud Bog, Texas Hold-Em Tournament

All weekend - Hot Air Balloon Rides - Distance rides at Sunrise & Dusk.

11th Annual Mound Fest

If your family or group of friends loves baseball, throw your bats & gloves in your car and join in on the fun! There's prizes to be won, fun to be had, and lots of fun activities and great food all weekend long!

This is a recreation ball tournament with underhand pitching, no slingshot or windmill pitching.

Registration Fee: $100/team

Contact: Daryl Morrow - 825-2244 Chamber of Commerce