When hot air balloons light up the night skies in Indianola.

The National Balloon Classic is the largest hot air balloon festival in the Midwest and is held at the end of July every year in Indianola, Iowa. The classic holds various events including balloon competitions, mass ascensions, and one of the crowd favorites – the Nite Glow. During the Nite Glow, the balloons will be inflated, yet anchored to the ground and viewers will be allowed on the field and have a chance to walk among the balloons. Be sure to read to the bottom for the extra SURPRISE that only takes place at the Nite Glow.

The next scheduled Nite Glow are:

• Sunday, July 28th after sunset
• Wednesday, July 31st after sunset

.

Website: https://www.nationalballoonclassic.com

Address: 15335 Jewell Street, Indianola, IA. 50125 (Exact Google map location)

At the start of the Nite Glow, the balloons and the viewers are kept in separate fields.

Throughout the evening there is live music and numerous food options.

As the pilots prepare the balloons, the viewers remain in a separate field – but it’s still entertaining to watch as they lay out and prepare the balloons.

You’ll be snapping lots of great photos of hot air balloons!

Once it’s dark, they open the gates and the audience rushes onto the field to visit the balloons and pilots!

If it’s your first time at a Nite Glow, you’ll quickly find out why this is their most popular event – it’s an incredible, awe-inspiring event to walk among the balloons at night.

And now for the extra surprise: During the Nite Glow, you not only get to walk among the balloons, but you also get to talk with the pilots AND they hand out balloon cards to kids (it’s like a baseball card that features the balloon and the pilot)