Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta 2023 is almost here – and we’ve got everything you need to know in our guide to the festival.
The four-day balloon extravaganza is back, and this year the festival will be at its new location of Castle Howard.
Taking place over the August bank holiday weekend (Friday 25 to Monday 28 August), there will be a host of family entertainment throughout the day, incredible music acts, children’s activities, fab food and drink, and some brilliant local performers on the YorkMix stage.
And of course lots of amazing hot air balloons!
Here’s everything you need to know.
Dates and times
Friday, 25 August: 10am-10:30pm
Saturday, 26 August: 10am-10:30pm
Sunday, 27 August: 10am-10:30pm
Monday, 28 August: 10am-10:30pm
Tickets
Adult (18 years + ) Day Tickets – £35
Teen (13-17 years) Day Tickets – £30
Child (4-12 years) Day Tickets – £20
3 and under Day Tickets – Free
Weekend Entry Tickets with Camping – from £70pp
Weekend Entry Tickets (No Camping) – from £60pp
Included in your ticket:
– Access to Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta on your chosen day
– All acts on the Main Stage, Arena and YorkMix Stage on your chosen day
– Mass balloon launch (weather dependent)
– Watch the Night Glow (weather dependent)
Travel
By car
Follow directions to YO60 7DA and follow all diversion signs to the event car park. There is free car-parking on site. Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta advises to keep in mind August bank holiday traffic and to plan accordingly.
By taxi
There is a drop-off point for taxi’s and mini-buses at the car park. The event organisers recommended booking a taxi if you’re attending in a group to decrease the volume of cars on the road.
By bus
There is a direct bus service, Castleline, which runs from York to Castle Howard. It leaves Station Avenue at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3:50pm and takes approximately 1 hour. There are three buses back from Castle Howard at 11:50am, 2:40pm and 4:45pm. However this service does not run on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 August.
Parking
There is parking is available on site which is included in your ticket admission and therefore no extra fees are required.
There will be dedicated spaces for Blue Badge holders.
Parking spaces are allocated on a first-come first-served basis and cannot be pre-booked.
Food and drink
There will be plenty of food stalls, hot and cold drinks, snacks, desserts and more available. There will be a licensed bar on site. Most vendors will accept both cash and card payments at their stalls.
You can bring your own picnics, soft drinks and food to be brought in. There is strictly NO glass and NO alcohol allowed on the premises. You can only purchase alcohol once inside the event at the licensed bar.
Camping
The campsite is open from 2pm on Thursday 24 August to give you time to set up camp and settle in. Campsite facilities include toilets and sanitising stations, showering facilities, drinking water points, and waste disposal areas.
Pitches are allocated on a first-come, first served basis. Tents are pitch only with no access to power.
You can come in a caravan or motorhome but will need to purchase a weekend camping ticket and an additional vehicle permit. No electricity or water hook ups are included. Electricity hook-ups can be purchased for £80.
Weekend Camping ticket holders have until midday on Tuesday 29 August to leave.
General
You can bring your own blankets and folding chairs to be brought in. No gazebos, laysacs, windbreakers or tents.
There will be both standard and accessible toilets provided throughout the site.
Dogs are welcome on site and must be kept on a lead at all times.
You can come and go from the site as you please. Be sure to ask the stewards for a wristband on exit so you can re-enter with ease.
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What’s on day by day
Friday 25 August
10am: Gates open
10am to 5pm: Parentfolk Tent – Activities for children
10am to 6pm: Angels & Butterflies Craft Tent
12pm: Beautiful the Musical – Performance by York Stage
12pm to 8pm: Roller Rink
2pm: Hyde Family Jam
2pm to 8pm: Raver Tots – Dedicated rave tent
3pm: Pilot Meet & Greets
4pm: Toploader
5:15pm: Mass Balloon Launch (weather dependant)
6:15pm: Blue
7:45pm: Beth McCarthy
9pm: Ella Henderson
10pm: Night Glow – Tethered hot air balloons lighting up to a mixture of music (weather dependent)
Saturday 26 August
10am: Gates open
10am to 5pm: Parentfolk Tent – Activities for children
10am to 6pm: Angels & Butterflies Craft Tent
12pm: Cosmic Kids Yoga – Family fun yoga
12pm to 4pm: YorkMix Radio Stage (Elle Coles – 12pm, The Caleb Murray Band – 2pm, Tall Order – 12pm)
12pm to 8pm: Roller Rink
2pm: Yolandas Band Jam
2pm to 8pm: Raver Tots – Dedicated rave tent
3pm: Pilot Meet & Greets
4pm: The South
5:30pm: Mass Balloon Launch (weather dependant)
6:30pm: Ryan Swain
7:30pm: Disco Classical
9pm: Sister Sledge
10pm: Night Glow – Tethered hot air balloons lighting up to a mixture of music (weather dependent)
Sunday 27 August
10am: Gates open
10am to 5pm: Parentfolk Tent – Activities for children
10am to 6pm: Angels & Butterflies Craft Tent
12pm: Brainiac Live
12pm to 8pm: Roller Rink
1pm to 4pm: YorkMix Radio Stage (Liv Quigley – 1pm, York Stage – 2:30pm, Lucy’s Pop Choir – 3pm)
1:15pm: Huge Party Band – Big Ian with all the party classics
2:30pm: Andy & The Odd Socks
2pm to 8pm: Raver Tots – Dedicated rave tent
3pm: Pilot Meet & Greets
4:15pm: Rak-Su
5:15pm: Mass Balloon Launch (weather dependant)
6pm: Megan McKenna
7:30pm: Ministry of Sound
9pm: Sam Ryder
10pm: Night Glow – Tethered hot air balloons lighting up to a mixture of music (weather dependent)
Monday 28 August
10am: Gates open
10am to 5pm: Parentfolk Tent – Activities for children
10am to 6pm: Angels & Butterflies Craft Tent
12pm: Mr Motivator
12pm to 4pm: YorkMix Radio Stage (Red Recluse – 12pm, Youvee – 1pm, CopOwt – 2pm, Blaze Dance Group – 3:30pm)
12pm to 8pm: Roller Rink
1:30pm: Justin Fletcher
2pm to 8pm: Raver Tots – Dedicated rave tent
3pm: Dick & Dom DJ Battle
3pm: Pilot Meet & Greets
4:30pm: Diversity
5:30pm: Mass Balloon Launch (weather dependant)
6pm: Phats & Small
7:30pm: Symphonic Ibiza
9pm: Joel Corry
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