The New Jersey Festival of Ballooning Announces Haitus for 2024

For three decades it has been one of the premiere events of the summer, but it turns out... it won't happen in 2024.

The New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning Won't Take Place in 2024

The New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning will not take place in 2024. Event organizers shared the news on Friday afternoon in a press release.

The annual festival, which is truly one of a kind has taken place for more than 30 years at the Solberg Airport in Readington, New Jersey.

Officials say they're taking a break to "reimagine and refresh" the event.

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They cited post-pandemic inflation and the evolving business model as the reason for the decision.

"Coming out of the 2020 pandemic, we have seen an exponential increase in operational costs," longtime Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman said on Friday. "Competition for scarce resources from festivals worldwide, along with drastically increased fees set by musical talent, make it extremely difficult to present a quality event in its current form without passing rising costs onto our guests."

What's Next for the New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning?

The annual festival, which gained international attention every year, is planning on returning in 2025, Freeman said on Friday.

Freeman praised the partnership with the New Jersey Lottery and says they're seeking additional investors and partners in 2024.

"The balloon festival is currently seeking additional investors and partners who would benefit from the event’s name recognition, associated brand awareness, its global media coverage, highly coveted family demographics, and community giving, as part of its 2025 relaunch,” he said.