Košice Balloon Fiesta 2026

29th Annual Košice Balloon Fiesta

120 years since the first balloon flight in Košice

We are delighted to invite you to the incredible 29th Košice Balloon Fiesta! From May 27th to 31st May 2026, dozens of colorful balloons will fill the sky above the eastern metropolis. We’ll bring out our entire balloon fleet from the garage, and we’ll be joined by balloons from Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the USA, and Great Britain. Among them will be 3 special shape balloons!

The fiesta center can be found at the Technical University of Košice campus – near the baseball field on Vysokoškolská Street. This is where the mass balloon launches are planned, which are an unforgettable experience for visitors. We start with an evening launch on Wednesday and finish with a morning launch on Sunday.

In addition to the balloon launches, every day from Wednesday to Saturday from 16:00 we also have a fiesta village ready for you, with a food zone, accompanying programme and attractions for children. The highlight of the fiesta is the night-time balloon inflation on Friday, 29 May at 21:00. Don’t miss this evening! You don’t get to experience a balloon light show to the rhythm of music—and under the stars—every day :)

Admission to the event is free.

Book a fiesta flight

A unique experience with an exceptional atmosphere

Be part of the biggest balloon party right in the sky. Grab your spot in one of the fiesta baskets!
But don’t think too long, spots are disappearing faster than the morning mist over Košice.

Loading the next set of gallery items...

Načítať ďalšie fotky

120 years since the first balloon flight in Košice

This year’s fiesta is also special because of a historic anniversary. We’re marking 120 years since the first human-crewed balloon flight in Košice, which took place in June 1906. The balloon, named Turul, was brought to the city from Budapest and took off near what is now Moyzesova Street. It was an extraordinary event for the city—Košice residents could watch, for the first time, a balloon rising above their heads.

This anniversary will come to life at the event itself—there will be a retro photo booth and special postcards that you’ll be able to colour in.

Send us a photo of your coloured-in postcard and we’ll enter you into a prize draw for a balloon flight for 1 adult and 1 child!

Program

Every day from Wednesday to Saturday:

walk-in balloon,
retro photo booth to mark the 120th anniversary of the first balloon flight in Košice,
fiesta village with a gastro zone, accompanying program and inflatable attractions for children.

Wednesday

from 4:00 PM
festival village with gastro zone and accompanying program

– Discover FUTURUM
– Mascots
– Face painting
– Workshops for children

6:00 PM
opening balloon launch

Thursday

5:30 AM
balloon launch

from 4:00 PM
festival village with gastro zone and accompanying program

– Discover FUTURUM
– Paint with Lensy
– Fire truck
– Face painting

6:00 PM
balloon launch

8:00 PM
balloon on Main Street with Košice Airport mascot – Letko
(by the Immaculata Statue)

Friday

5:30 AM
balloon launch

from 4:00 PM
festival village with gastro zone and accompanying program

– Portál Puppet Theatre
– Garbage truck
– Paint with Lensy
– Face painting
– Pilates
– Model aircraft

5:00 PM
balloonists’ parade on Main Street

6:00 PM
balloon launch

19:00
DJ A-Z Best

21:00
night-time balloon inflation and aerial acrobatics

Saturday

5:30 AM
balloon launch

from 4:00 PM
festival village with gastro zone and accompanying program

– DFS Čarnička
– Mavakanza Circus
– Paint with Lensy
– Face painting
– Mascots
– Pilates

6:00 PM
balloon launch

Sunday

5:30 AM
balloon launch
(alternative date in case of unfavorable weather on previous days)

I want to fly at the fiesta!

The balloon launch site may change due to wind direction, which can affect flight safety.
Any changes to the program will be announced on our social media channels.