Gatineau’s 2026 hot air balloon festival is planned for Labor Day weekend at Parc de la Baie, with launches subject to weather and pilot approval.
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is planned to return over Labor Day weekend in 2026, bringing a four-day schedule of balloon launches and entertainment to Parc de la Baie near Ottawa.
The event, also known as the Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau, is listed for late August to early September at 93 Rue de la Baie in Gatineau. It typically runs from Friday through Monday, with programming built around hot air balloons, live music, fireworks and amusement rides.
For visitors, the central draw remains the balloon schedule. Daily takeoffs are listed for approximately 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., with an evening “Night Glow” feature in which balloons are illuminated after dark. Organizers also list more than 60 hours of live music, along with a range of musical acts.
The festival’s most weather-sensitive attractions come with an important caveat: balloon flights depend on conditions and pilot authorization. That means launch times can shift or flights can be grounded if winds or other safety factors do not cooperate.
Ticket and event information is available through the official FMG website and the festival’s Instagram account, @superfmg. Visitors looking to watch from outside the main event area have several listed viewing options in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, including Rockcliffe Pavilion in Rockcliffe Park, Alexandra Bridge, Portage Bridge, Nepean Point, Major’s Hill Park and the Ottawa River Pathway.
With exact conditions impossible to know in advance, the next practical step for festivalgoers is to check the official festival channels closer to the weekend for ticket details, music programming and same-day balloon flight updates.
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