Tethered Rides at the 2026 Plano Balloon Festival
September 17–20, 2026 · Oak Point Park / Red Tail Pavilion, Plano, TX
The 2026 festival has concluded. The details below are a reference for the 2026 event. Future festival dates and ride details will be posted when confirmed.
Rohr Balloons provides tethered hot air balloon rides at the Plano Balloon Festival in Plano, Texas. This page covers riding with Rohr at the festival — if you want to hire a tethered balloon for your own event anywhere in Texas or the Central U.S., see tethered rides for events.
Ride with Rohr at Plano.
Rohr Balloons is the tethered hot air balloon ride operator at the Plano Balloon Festival in Plano, TX. The balloon stays anchored to the ground while you rise above the field for a few minutes — the burner overhead, the crowd below, and the festival spread out in every direction.
The 2026 festival runs September 17–20 at Oak Point Park / Red Tail Pavilion, 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074. Tethered rides are offered during scheduled morning and evening tether sessions across the festival weekend, weather permitting.
It's the easiest first step into ballooning: no long flight, no chase crew, no early alarm — just a short, anchored climb with an FAA-certified pilot at the burner. For festival admission, parking, and the full event schedule, use the official Plano Balloon Festival website.
How the tethered rides work.
Rohr Balloons runs festival tethered rides in Plano the same way every session: the balloon is anchored to the ground, a small group boards, and the pilot takes the basket up and back down while the lines stay tight.
Anchored, up and down
The festival's tethered balloons hover 20–30 feet above the ground for several minutes, then settle back so the next group can board. Rides that fly away from the park are not offered.
Small groups, big baskets
One balloon accommodates 10–12 people per lift, depending on height and weight. Passengers board through the basket, ride, and switch out group after group all session long.
First come, first served
Rides are sold onsite on a first-come, first-served basis, weather permitting, and every lift is at the pilot's discretion. Listen for Main Stage announcements about when rides open and close.
Ride sessions and tickets.
Rohr Balloons tethers during the Plano Balloon Festival's scheduled tethered-ride sessions — these are the festival's published tether sales windows for the Plano, TX event.
2026 tether sessions
- Thursday evening
- Friday evening
- Saturday morning and Saturday evening
- Sunday morning
All sessions run weather permitting, first come, first served, at the pilot's discretion. The festival announces exact opening and closing of rides from the Main Stage each session, so plan to be on the field early rather than around a printed clock time.
Tickets & pricing
- Adults: $30
- Children ages 6–12: $20
- Tickets are sold onsite only at the festival — cash only.
Tethered-ride tickets are separate from festival admission. For admission prices, parking, and gate hours, see the festival's official ticket page; for the festival's own tether details, see the official rides page.
Passenger requirements.
Rohr Balloons follows the Plano Balloon Festival's published passenger rules for tethered rides in Plano, TX — here is what every rider needs to know before stepping into the basket.
- Every passenger signs a waiver before riding.
- Passengers must be at least 6 years old and able to see over the balloon basket.
- Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who signs the release for the child.
- There is no minimum height requirement, but adults cannot hold a child in their arms during the ride.
- All passengers must be in good health: riders who are pregnant, recently released from the hospital, or have current broken bones or casts cannot ride.
- The balloons are not certified by the FAA to carry wheelchairs.
- Requirements are set by the festival and can change — the official tether page is the final word.
What to bring and expect.
Rohr Balloons wants every tethered ride at the Plano festival to go smoothly — a little preparation covers almost everything.
Bring cash
Ride tickets are sold onsite and are cash only — $30 for adults, $20 for children ages 6–12. There's no advance purchase, so have cash in hand when you reach the field.
Dress for the field
Closed-toe shoes are the right call for the balloon field, and mornings can be cool before sunrise lifts. Bring your phone or camera — the view over the festival is the whole point.
Arrive early
Rides are first come, first served, and lines form fast. Arrive before the tether session you want, and keep an ear on the Main Stage — the festival announces when rides open and close. For traffic and parking, use the festival's official site.
Weather and tether status.
Rohr Balloons operates every tethered balloon ride at the Plano Balloon Festival weather permitting — that phrase carries real weight in ballooning, and here is what it means for your visit.
All balloon activity is weather permitting, and the pilot in command makes the final call on the field. Wind is the deciding factor for a tethered balloon: sessions can start late, pause, or close early if conditions change, and no one — including us — can promise flyable weather days in advance. If a session closes, the festival's remaining tether sessions are the next opportunity. During festival week, check the festival's official channels and Rohr Balloons' Facebook page for day-of updates.
Rohr Balloons at Plano.
Rohr Balloons has been part of the Plano Balloon Festival for years as the tethered hot air balloon ride operator, sharing ballooning with families, couples, and first-time riders across North Texas.
The team is family-owned and has operated balloons since 1972 — FAA-certified pilots, a professional ground crew, and equipment maintained to the same standard we bring to every flight. At the festival, that experience shows up as smooth boarding, tight tether lines, and a crew that keeps the line moving while every group gets its few minutes in the air.
The photographs on this page are from Rohr's own tether operation at the 2025 festival — see the 2025 recap for the full story.
Bring the Plano tethered-ride experience to your event.
Rohr Balloons brings the same tethered hot air balloon rides you see at the festival to events across Texas and the Central U.S. — corporate gatherings, weddings, senior living communities, schools and universities, city celebrations, community festivals, and milestone parties.
A tethered event turns your venue into the festival: an anchored balloon lifting 50–120 guests per hour, and a glowing centerpiece after sunset. Tethered events start at $4,250 for two hours, plus travel.
Everything an event planner needs — packages, site requirements, weather limits, and the six-step process — is on the tethered rides page.
Past Plano tethered rides.
Rohr Balloons recaps each year's tethered rides at the Plano Balloon Festival after the event — photos, rider highlights, and how the operation ran.
Plano tethered-ride FAQ.
Rohr Balloons answers the questions festival riders ask most about tethered rides at the Plano Balloon Festival.
How much are tethered rides at the 2026 Plano Balloon Festival?
When are tethered rides offered at the festival?
Can children ride, and what are the passenger requirements?
Do the balloons fly away from the park?
What should I bring for a tethered ride?
How can I bring tethered rides to my own event?
Related reads & experiences
More from Rohr Balloons — related hot air balloon guides and experiences across North Texas.
See you at Oak Point Park.
Tethered rides with Rohr Balloons at the 2026 Plano Balloon Festival, September 17–20 — or at your own event, anywhere the right crowd gathers.