Ticket Information

Admission Prices

Festival Admission:
Admission is required for ages 4 & over.  Gate admission is $5 per person.  
Advance Armbands: If armbands are purchased in advance at the Poteau Chamber they are $3 per person (debit or credit cards there is a minimum of 4 armbands) .  

Armbands are good for Friday & Saturday. 

The following shows and attractions are NOT included with gate admission and require a separate fee: Helicopter Rides, Mean Machine Monster Truck Rides, Tethered Balloon Rides, Carnival Rides, Pony Rides, any other ride attractions or the Saturday Night LJ Jenkins Bull Riding Event. 

Tickets for all ride attractions cannot be purchased in advance and are purchased from individual vendors or attraction operators.  We do not set or control pricing on ride attractions. Pricing for previous years is as follows: helicopter rides-$40 per person; Mean Machine Monster Truck Rides-$10 per person; Carnival Rides - The Carnival has offered a $20 armband on Thursday night (no gate admission required), a $20 armband on Friday night from 7pm - 11pm. Individual tickets for rides have been sold for $1 each and each ride takes 3-5 tickets.  Pony Rides are $5 per rider. Tethered balloon rides are $10 per person with a age, height and weight restriction. For individuals inquiring about Tethered rides, participants MUST be tall enough to see over the basket (approximately 4 feet).

Armbands sales begin August 1, 2016.  To purchase armbands in advance, please call 918-647-9178. They will be sold for $3 each (debit and credit cards require a minimum purchase of $12 or 4 armbands).  Advance price will be good through Friday, October 14, 12pm only. 

Event Information

Each year the Poteau Balloon Fest offers various events that give festival goers plenty to see and do. Most of these events are included with gate admission and some include an extra cost.  We do however try to keep costs as low as we can.  NEW events this year at the 2016 Poteau Balloon Fest  will include on Friday and Saturday, Cockrill's Critters, a full petting zoo FREE to the public allowing 15 people to go through the petting zoo at a time. The petting zoo features Rudy Roo Roo the Kangaroo and a selfie loving camel. Also performing both Friday and Saturday are the Lawbreakers and Peacemakers, let them take you into the past with legendary, historical and humorous re-enactments as they portray the era with a mixture of comedy and melodrama as well as educate spectators.  Firearm safety is an important part of their portrayal and is demonstrated through out the weekend. Also join us in the mud pit area Friday Night for the 3rd Annual Twin Cities Redi Mix BurnOut Competition, Rumble on the River ATV/UTV Mud Race and the Pumpkin Mud Run. Saturday join us for the Annual Rumble on the River Mud Bog, the Little Miss & Mr. Balloon Fest Pageant, and Pet Contests.  Also Magician Jonathan Meyer will be performing throughout the day and Saturday evening there is the LJ Jenkins Bull Riding Event.  With much more in between from Libby Starks and Bandit, Carnival Rides, K9 Dog Demonstrations, and EMS's "Take 10 for CPR."

For a timeline of events click here.

Visiting Us

Please visit our member directory to find a list of restaurants, hotel and motels, rv parks or campgrounds that are Chamber members!

Parking

Free parking is available at Carl Albert State College and the Industrial Park parking lot.  FREE shuttle buses are also available to transport to and from the Balloon Festival. Pick Up & Drop Off for all shuttle buses is at the Main Gate. 

Parking on the Main Grounds is $5 per vehicle includes buses, handicap and motorcycle.  If you leave and return, you will have to pay again to park on the main grounds. 

Vendor Information

The Poteau Balloon Fest is quickly becoming one of the most sought out events  for vendors in the State of Oklahoma. Vendor space at our festival is limited!  All vendors are accepted on a first paid basis.  You must send in full payment and deposits with your completed application.  No special treatment is given to any vendor, local or non-local, first time or returning.  All payments must be made payable to Poteau Balloon Fest.

You may download the applicable vendor forms below:

Vendor forms for the 2016 Festival are below:

FOOD VENDOR (LIMITED)

NON-FOOD VENDOR (INCLUDES POLITICAL, BUSINESS, ARTS & CRAFTS)

RIDE & ATTRACTION

NON-PROFIT & CHAMBER MEMBERS