Top Hot Air Balloon Festivals, Kite Events & Airshows in Louisiana

Louisiana offers azure-blue skies, high-flying adventures and thrilling performances. Whether you're chasing a golden-hour glow or the roar of a supersonic jet, these events offer fun for everyone.

Hot Air Balloon Festivals in Louisiana

Few sights rival a balloon lift-off at dawn — except, perhaps, a flickering balloon-glow on a warm Louisiana night.

Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival

Just north of Baton Rouge, this summer festival is a favorite for its mix of balloon glows, live music and food trucks. Held at BREC’s Zachary Community Park, the Really Hot Air Balloon Festival lets families get closer to crews than at larger rallies.

Red River Balloon Rally

In Shreveport, this summertime event has drawn world-class pilots to the area since the 1970s, and it also serves as the host of the Louisiana State Ballooning Championship. Beyond the competitive flights, see family-friendly "glow" sessions featuring shimmering balloons synchronized to live music.

Balloons Over DeSoto

At C.E. 'Rusty' Williams Airport in Mansfield, this festival celebrates aviation and North Louisiana heritage. Tethered rides let kids have a safe taste of flight — a great peak-summer outing.

Washington Parish Balloon Festival

This event in Bogalusa is beloved for its classic festival vibes, blending professional ballooning with nostalgic carnival rides, community parades and live entertainment.

Boucherie and Balloon Festival

In Sorrento, this unique event celebrates the Cajun boucherie — a traditional community butchering festival — alongside stunning balloon displays. It’s one of the only places in the world where you can watch a hot air balloon glow while enjoying authentic cracklins and boudin prepared on-site.

Kite Events in Louisiana

If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, Louisiana’s kite events offer a whimsical way to enjoy the outdoors.

Kite Fest Louisiane'

Held along the Mississippi River levee in Port Allen, this spring festival fills the sky with kites of every shape and size. Enjoy kite ballets — or stunt-kite displays by professional flyers from around the world. Children can design their own kites, too, ensuring every kid leaves with a piece of the sky.

APRD Kite Festival

Head to Roger Halphen Park in Buras of Plaquemines Parish for a morning of contests, kite decorating, live music and food trucks. The inaugural festival is taking place in spring 2026, making it the newest addition to the list of beloved kite festivals of Louisiana.  

Kite Fest BR

Come support the local community as Kite Fest BR comes to Baton Rouge's Hartley/Vey Park every spring. Enjoy flying your newly created kite, fun workshops, kid-friendly games and tasty treats from local food vendors.

Holly Beach Kite Weekend

Visit the coastal community of Holly Beach in Cameron Parish along the “Cajun Riviera” to celebrate all things summer in June. Aside from flying and watching kites, festivalgoers can enjoy eating contests, live bands, face painting, splash pads and delicious foods.

Airshows in Louisiana

Louisiana airshows feature thrilling performances from military demonstration teams and meticulously restored vintage warbirds.

Jennings Stearman & Taildragger Fly-In

A must-see for aviation enthusiasts, this festival celebrates the iconic Stearman biplane. It’s less of a formal show and more of a "living museum" where pilots encourage visitors to walk among the planes and ask questions about the golden age of flight.

Rockin’ on the Runway

Located in Sunset, this event is a high-energy hybrid — part concert, part aerial display. It’s famous for its "Twilight Show," where aircraft equipped with LED lights and pyrotechnics perform stunts in the dark.

Thunder Over Louisiana

Known for hosting top acts like the U.S. Navy Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds, this Lake Charles-based show focuses on the sheer power of modern military aviation. The static displays are equally impressive, and families are often allowed to tour the inside of massive C-130 transport planes.

Red, White and Blue Airshow

Monroe’s patriotic show features aerobatic stunts and heritage flights featuring P-51 Mustangs. Typically held around Independence Day, the show concludes with a ground-shaking "wall of fire" pyrotechnic display.

Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow

Held every two years, this show is the Northshore’s largest outdoor gathering, complete with wing-walking, stealth jets and a large Kidz Zone packed with STEM activities and bounce houses.

From kaleidoscopic kites and vibrant balloons to dynamic jets and carnival rides, Louisiana’s high-flying festivals offer plenty of family-fun. Explore more trip ideas and festivals for your crew to enjoy.