Concert Rules

• Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday to enter the amphitheater.
• Please do not place items in fire lanes or places that are blocked off. If your items are placed in those areas, Albany Parks and Recreation will move the items to the nearest available spot of your placement.
• Place your belongings at your own risk. Albany Parks and Recreation is not responsible for items that have been moved or lost.
• Seating is first come first serve. 
• This is a park setting and all seating area is on grass.
• No outside alcohol. Coolers and bags may be inspected. Beer, wine, cider (served by Gilgamesh Brewing), and food will be available for purchase on-site.
• Drinks and food purchased from festival vendors will be allowed inside the amphitheater.
• Please no glass containers.
• No pets, except service animals.
• No bikes, scooters, or skateboards permitted.
• No smoking or vaping.
• Call 541-917-7777 for more information.

Wristband Information

• Wristbands will be placed on all person entering the venue and will be required in order to enter or exit the amphitheater.
• You will not be allowed to get a wristband for someone that is not present.
• Once you receive your wristband you can come and go through-out the day.
• After you receive your wristband, chairs (low back preferred) and blankets can be placed once you enter the amphitheater.
• If the amphitheater reaches its capacity, individuals can listen to the concert from other areas in the park.

Donation Spots

Support the Northwest Art and Air Festival by securing your spot near the front of the concert!

• Call 541-917-7777 to put your name on the list for the lottery drawing.
• Each spot can hold up to 8 people maximum, depending on state guidelines.
• If you are interested in these spots the donation will be $250. You will only have to pay the $250 donation if your name is drawn and you want the spot at the time of notification.
• You will only be allowed to enter your name one time for one spot.
• We will accept entries for the drawing now until July 21, 2023.
• The drawing will be held on July 26, 2023.
• Winners will be notified and have 48 hours to pay for their spot before we draw another name.

Please note: We will not know the number of spots available until the day of the drawing due to sponsor and concert requirements.

(subject to change)

Interested in applying to be a food vendor?

Download application

Please email your application and/ or questions to:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

presented by

Join us Friday, noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. for some fun kid activities!

• Cornhole and other games
• Paint the car
• Home Depot kits
• Craft kits to go!
• Scavenger hunt

Balloons start lifting off around 6:45 a.m.
(don't miss it!)

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday balloons lift off from the fields at the south end of Timber Linn Park, weather permitting. Some balloons launch Thursday morning on media day. Reporters and photographers a chance to get pictures and stories about the event circulating ahead of time.

Sponsored by

Balloon Rides

Paid Rides

Paid rides are available for $250 per person. Passengers wishing to ride together must sign up at the same time as a group. You will need to submit payment to Albany Parks & Recreation within two weeks of signing up, no later than August 15, or your ride request will be void. Submit your check or money order with a copy of the invoice by mail or in person to Albany Parks & Recreation, P.O. Box 490, Albany, OR 97321. Payment can also be made by credit card (Mastercard/Visa only) in person or by calling 541-917-7765. Limited rides may be available on Thursday's media day. If you are only available on Thursday, indicate that during sign up.

Passenger Registration
Paid ride registration will begin in June.

Sponsored Rides

If your business receives balloon rides as part of your sponsorship package, you will be notified via email with a "ride code" to use in order to sign up on this page. All sponsors must submit passenger information by July 31.

What to Expect

A hot air balloon ride is a beautiful, peaceful and enjoyable experience. Balloon flights take place at sunrise because that is when conditions are the best. At the time of the event, this means around 6:30 a.m. You will arrive and check in up to an hour before that. You will then be assigned to your pilot. Most passengers, if they are able, get a chance to help with the setup and inflation of the balloon. This takes about 30 minutes. It is easy, fun, and amazing to watch up close. The flights will range between 45-90 minutes at which point the pilot will find a suitable field to land in. The passengers and crew then spend another 30 minutes packing the balloon back up. Then it is back to the launch field where most pilots offer a post-flight ceremony or toast, especially if it is your first flight. Plan on being finished between 9-10 a.m.

Flight Times

All balloon flights take place at sunrise because that is when conditions are the best. Check in time for all passengers will be between 5:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. each morning. If you do not check in by 6 a.m., you may forfeit your flight.

What to Wear

Safety is a primary concern for all balloon operations, therefore proper attire is important. The general rule is to limit the amount of exposed skin and wear natural fibers (cotton is good, polyester is bad). Wear tennis shoes or hiking boots, not open toed sandals or flip flops, as we cannot guarantee the condition of your landing zone. Also, some pilots like to attempt splash 'n dashes in lakes or ponds, so wear shoes you don't mind getting wet. Long pants and long sleeves are recommended and dress in layers. It will be quite cold at the beginning but warms up as the morning goes on. A jacket and/or sweatshirt that can be removed later is a good idea.

Rider Parking

Just north of the launch field is a large gravel parking lot, east of Price Rd. This is where you should park on the morning of your flight.

Rider Restrictions

All riders must be at least 12 years old. Exact weight is a critical factor in the safety and planning of a hot air balloon flight. Please be accurate when filling in your weight on the sign up form. Your information will be handled discretely but is vital to the scheduling of your flight. Unless receiving special approval, weight limits are 300 pounds per person and 600 pounds per group. You must be able to climb in and out of the balloon basket with minimal assistance. You must also be able to stand for the duration of the flight. We do not have any balloons that can accommodate wheelchairs or passengers that need to be seated. Pregnant women will be allowed to ride as long as they are physically able and are less than 28 weeks along.

Ride Groups

When you sign up to ride, you must sign up with any other passengers you wish to ride with. Ride groups can be a maximum of 3 people (weight limits apply). Ride groups apply to sponsors and paid passengers. Sponsors wishing to add additional paid passengers to their sponsored ride groups may do so.

Refund Policy

Balloon rides are scheduled based on several factors, and due to a limited number of rides, it is not possible for every rider to have their first request. If you need to cancel your paid ride, you will receive a full refund if cancelled by 4:00 p.m. the Friday prior to the festival. Riders must contact Albany Parks & Recreation at 541-917-7765 to cancel a ride. Any paid rides cancelled after 4:00 p.m. the Friday prior to the event or any no-shows on your scheduled morning will not receive a refund. If an approved replacement rider is found a refund will be issued. If a balloon ride is cancelled by event staff, a refund will be issued or the ride rescheduled if possible.

Questions

If you have any further questions about rides, or have any trouble signing up on the website, please call 541-917-7765.

Helping with a balloon

Many of our pilots come from out of town and can't bring their regular crews with them. The event must assign these pilots local volunteers to assist them in setting up their balloons each day. An average size balloon takes 4-6 people to set up and take down. Crewing for a hot air balloon is fun and exciting and is a great way to experience the event up close and personal. You may even be offered a balloon ride as a thank you!

Crew Requirements

• Able to follow all pilot directions and adhere to all event rules and guidelines
• Either 18 years of age or older or 15-17 years of age and signed up with a parent
• Physically able to push, pull, or lift up to 50 pounds
• Punctual and available from 5:30–10:00a.m. on days you are crewing

Crew Account Login

• Do not sign up as a volunteer if you already have a specific pilot you are working with. Just contact them directly.
• In order to have a crew account, you will need a valid email address which will be your login ID.
• If there are multiple people, such as a family, that only have one email address, you will create an account with a primary account holders name, and then add the rest of the family members to that account.
• If you volunteered last year, your account is set up already and your information has been saved, but you will need to let us know that if you are able to help again this year.

Friday, August 25

1:30 - 3:30pm

Performer tba

4:30 - 9:30pm (with breaks)

Performer tba

Saturday, August 26

11:30am - 2:30pm

Performer tba

3:00 - 6:00pm

Performer tba

8:00pm

Join us at the Main Stage

Festival Stage Sponsor

The Friday Night Glow is full of joy and amazement for the entire family: brilliantly-colored balloons tower over the crowd, lighting up the night sky.

Half a dozen balloons participate in one of the Festival’s most popular events, the Night Glow on Friday only at dusk, weather permitting. Balloon pilots and crews set up the colorful fabric envelopes in open area on the east side of Timber-Linn Park, inflate them with hot air while tethered to the ground, and illuminate them in a series of patterns.

Please understand that weather makes a big difference on how the timing of the Night Glow will go. Depending on wind, the balloons might not be able to inflate for very long. We usually luck out and the winds cooperate but it is in mother natures hands.

Seating area opens at 1pm to put blankets and chairs down.

Please note: The night glow happens on Friday night only. (weather permitting)

View map in a new window/tab

Parking

Visitors to the Northwest Art & Air Festival pay $10 to park daily at Timber-Linn Memorial Park or the Linn County Expo Center. Parking fees will be charged on both days.

Parking space is available at Expo Center just north of the park at the intersection of Dogwood Avenue and Timber Street, and in the fields at the south end of the park adjacent to Price Road.

Handicapped accessible and VIP parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis at the west end of the footbridge outside the main festival entry.

Traffic leaving from the south parking area will be routed westbound on Highway 20, while those parked to the north will be routed onto Dogwood, then Goldfish Farm Road to go east or Timber Street to go west.

Directions

Get directions from Google Maps

Comfort Suites Linn County Fairground and Expo

100 Opal Ct, Albany, OR 97322
541-497-7782

Website

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Albany, an IHG Hotel

105 Opal Ct, Albany, OR 97322
541-928-8820

Website

Phoenix Inn Suites

3410 Spicer Dr SE, Albany, OR 97322
541-926-5696

Website

Join artists from throughout the Northwest as they sell their wares. Work will include wood, metal, jewelry, pottery, porcelain, stained glass, fused glass, fiber, oil, watercolor, and collages.

(subject to change)

Interested in applying to be an art vendor?

Download application

Please email your application and/ or questions to:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Important Dates 

Missed the deadline? We accept applications up to the festival date!

End of March

Postmark deadline for application submission

End of April

Notification of artist acceptance

First week of June

Booth space fees due
(no cancellation refunds after this date)

Show Hours

• Friday: Noon–8pm
• Saturday: 10am–8pm