Freedom Festival Balloon Glow Moving to Saturday Night, New Location

A bigger space, more hot air balloons, and on Saturday night. The 2022 Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival Balloon Glow promises to be the best one yet!

The Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival has announced this year's Balloon Glow will be held on Saturday, June 18 from 5 to 10 p.m. It will be held at the Frisbee Golf Course at Jones Park (201 Wilson Avenue SW). It's a huge space.

Karol Shepherd, Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, says that part of Jones Park is approximately 275,000 square feet, making it the largest area Balloon Glow has ever been held in. Due to the amount of space available, the 2022 event will be able to accommodate up to 12 hot air balloons. There will be two entrances... one off of Wilson Avenue and one accessible from Bowling Street. You can get directions to the site here.

Great American Kites will also be returning in 2022. The gigantic kites will fill the sky beginning at 5 p.m.

In addition to hot air balloons and giant kites, the Prestige Dance Company will perform at 7 p.m. and then, from 8 to 10 p.m., an 80s cover band from Chicago called 'The Breakfast Club', will be performing live.

You must have a ticket for this year's event. While those 8 and under get in for free, everyone else will need a ticket. They're just $5 in advance. You can purchase them here. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. While you're encouraged to wear your Freedom Festival button, they will not be good for admission to Balloon Glow.

Since parking will be very limited, you're encouraged to use park-and-ride shuttles, that are compliments of the Cedar Rapids Community School District. The pick-up/drop-off location is the Kirkwood Continuing Education Training Center at 101 50th Ave SW in Cedar Rapids). Get directions here.

Here is some other beneficial information, courtesy of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival:

• Gates open at 5 p.m.
• Bring your own chairs/blankets for the event
• Soft-sided coolers are allowed.
• Outside food and beverages are allowed
• Food and beverage vendors will be on-site
• No alcohol will be sold at the event
• No pets or fireworks of any kind (including sparklers)
• No smoking is allowed on the grounds

We'll see you there on June 18th!