Here are some answers to the questions we are most frequently asked.
If you don't find the answer to your question here, send us an email at festival@montgolfieres.com
The festival will be held from August 9 to 11 and August 15 to 18, 2024.
Thursdays and Fridays: 2:30 pm to 11:30 pm.
Saturdays and Sundays: 12pm to 11:30pm.
The festival site will come to life on the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu airport site. Access via boulevard Gouin.
The site is open rain or shine. Please note that some activities, such as the inflatable games, will be temporarily cancelled. However, we're offering a host of other activities that you're sure to enjoy just as much!
Since 2022, there have been no ticket discounts or refunds in the event of flight cancellations. Please wear appropriate clothing.
We take the safety of our festival-goers and our team to heart. Therefore, if the weather conditions are unfavorable, the flights will be cancelled. However, the site will remain open and it will still be possible to immerse yourself and live the ballooning experience! When in doubt, consult our social networks.
Adult (Regular): 13 years and over.
Youth: ages 5 to 12.
Children: 4 years and under. Admission is free for this category, but proof of age is required.
Integrated 7-day passport (limited quantities - 2,500 passports)
Gives access to the site, all shows and rides, and includes parking (adults only) for the duration of the festival.
7-day passport
Gives access to the site and all shows for the duration of the festival.
As soon as a headliner is announced, and when the full program is unveiled in spring 2024.
On our website, in the ticketing section.
Please note that before the festival begins, there are no physical sales outlets. Also, our offices are not open to the public.
7-day presale access to rides: $60.00
7-day access to rides at the door: $65.00
1-day access to rides: $35.00
Single coupon: $2.00
14 coupons: $25.00
36 coupons: $45.00
*Taxes included.
Please note that pre-sale access to 7-day rides will soon be available on the Beauce Carnaval and can only be purchased there.
Pricing for 2024 will be announced shortly.
You can purchase a prepaid credit card online.
Yes, and more! They give access to the site, most activities and all festival shows.
Please note that daily tickets only give you access to the site for the date indicated on the ticket.
Integrated passports
They will be sent by post*.
*Please note that shipping and handling fees will be automatically added to your shopping cart at the end of the transaction. Once your passport has been purchased, a confirmation message will be sent to the e-mail address associated with your order. Your integrated passport will then be sent to you in the summer of 2024.
7-day passports
You can choose between the mobile version or the paper version, which will be sent by post.
You will need to select your option before proceeding to payment. Please note that once you have made your choice, you will not be able to change the delivery method.
Paper - by post
Once you have purchased your passport, a confirmation message will be sent to the e-mail address associated with your order. Your passport will then be sent to you in the summer of 2024.
*Please note that shipping and handling fees will be automatically added to your shopping cart at the end of the transaction.
Mobile
Once you have purchased your passport, a confirmation message will be sent to the e-mail address associated with your order. Follow the instructions in the e-mail to access your passport.
If you are having difficulty, contact us at festival@montgolfieres.com
Absolutely! The time indicated on your ticket is the approximate time when the shows are due to start on the Main Stage. You still have access to the festival site from the moment it opens until it closes.
It doesn't mean anything (unfortunately, it's not the secret code of our chocolate cupboard). On the site, you are free to go wherever you want.
Nothing has been announced yet, but follow us on Instagram and Facebook to find out!
What's more, subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive offers and contests.
No. All performances at the festival are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Yes, our programming is for people of all ages. Shows, massive hot air balloon flights, rides, inflatable games, activities, a gourmet offer and many other things to see and do. There's something for everyone, whether they're enjoying the festivities with friends or family!
Yes, we offer a user-friendly event for everyone. There are parking spaces for people with reduced mobility, as well as a platform for the shows. To get there, simply follow the signs.
Each person in a wheelchair will be entitled to one (1) companion with free access to the site and to the dedicated platform near the stage, by submitting their access card (e.g. CAL).
Each person requiring assistance will be entitled to one (1) attendant with free access to the site, by submitting their access card (e.g. CAL).
No. Although we would love to pet your pitoos, no animals are allowed on site. Of course, guide dogs are an exception.
On the site, it is forbidden to have:
Our site offers a variety of services on the entire site: fine dining stations, refreshment areas, relaxation areas and more! Facilities for maintaining the cleanliness of the site (garbage and recycling garbage cans) are also present on site.
The festival site is located at 5 Chemin de l'Aéroport, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC J3B 7B5. Here is how to get there:
Car
Parking available from Gouin Boulevard. Rate of $15.00/day (taxes and service charges included).
Public transportation from Montreal
Downtown terminus (Bonaventure metro) : Line 96, door 17 or 18
Transfer at St-Jean Terminus to the Hot Air Balloon Shuttle or the St-Jean Blue Line bus service
Public transportation from the South Shore
Panama (Brossard) Terminal: Line 96, platform No 15
Transfer at St-Jean Terminus to the Hot Air Balloon Shuttle or the St-Jean Blue Line bus service
Public transportation in Saint John
Watch for electronic variable message signs on Highway 10, Highway 30 and Highway 35 to keep you informed of traffic conditions as you approach the event site. Bike rack on the bus.
Bikes
Bicycle racks are located outside the site and near the pedestrian entrance. Bicycles are not allowed on the event site.
Yes, folding chairs are allowed.
Yes, a landscaped area with tables and shade will allow you to make the most of your meal. In addition, a gourmet alley will be waiting for you on site!
No, we have everything you need! Personal alcoholic beverages are therefore prohibited.
In accordance with the law, it is strictly forbidden to consume any form of cannabis on the entire festival site.
For more details, you can consult this link.
Yes, click here to learn more about accommodation options in the area.
Yes, click here to learn more about accommodation options in the area.
No. However, there are four criteria that must be met:
Yes. For safety reasons, please note that :
Note: If you suffer from a medical condition or have any questions about your abilities, please consult your doctor and inform the balloon pilot.
Hot-air balloon gondolas are equipped with either a door or a step allowing passengers to climb inside. As it's impossible to choose your balloon, all passengers must be able to use the footboard to step over the edge of the basket (average basket height = 3.5 feet).
The important thing is to be comfortable. As it's often cooler at higher altitudes and you'll be landing on farmland, remember to bring long clothes that will keep you warm and protect you from mosquitoes. With a pair of comfortable shoes, you'll be ready for your adventure!
Of course! We strongly encourage you to bring a camera so you can capture this magical moment.
Please note that neither we nor the driver and his team can be held responsible for any lost or dropped items.
Usually, the landing takes place in a field close to a road or path to facilitate recovery of the balloon. That said, since the strength and direction of the wind have a major influence on a hot-air balloon's route, each departure leads to a different destination.
Thanks to tracking teams. One team follows the balloon from the moment it leaves and stays in communication with the pilot throughout the flight. On landing, they help the pilot repack the envelope and return the equipment to the trailer. Everyone then returns to the starting point in the pursuit vehicle.
To make the most of your hot-air ballooning experience, you can help the pilot and his team repatriate all the equipment. However, please make sure you have the pilot's permission!
Before departure, you will be asked to sign a liability waiver form, which releases International Balloon Club and the pilot from all liability. Please bear in mind that flying is an activity with inherent risk.
Your balloon flight may be rescheduled during the festival or refunded. However, you must go to the ballooning box office to schedule a discount or receive a refund.
Yes, the price remains the same.
No or too strong winds (more than 12 km/h), rain and thunderstorm cells within a 50 km radius are unfavorable conditions for take-off.
Sometimes the conditions do not seem favorable during the hours preceding the flight and the flight still takes place. The opposite is also likely. Flight directors (balloonmeisters) analyze the weather conditions before each flight, in order to give their authorization.
Please note that a late take-off time may affect the duration of the flight. Depending on the decision of the balloonmeisters, each pilot is responsible for his flight and can decide to fly or not, depending on the conditions.
We cannot guarantee the exact duration of the flight, as it depends on the weather conditions at the time of take-off. However, a flight lasts approximately 1 hour. As a passenger, you should allow 3 to 4 hours for the total duration of the activity, which includes meeting the pilot, setting up the equipment and inflating, the flight, landing, packing up the equipment and returning to the departure point.
Hot air balloons can fly because warm air is lighter than cold air. On summer days, when the sun warms the earth, a phenomenon occurs that creates hotter or cooler zones and wind vortices that represent a risk for hot-air balloons. By flying very early in the morning and at the end of the day, the earth is sufficiently cold and thermal phenomena are practically absent, which allows us to fly safely.
A hot air balloon flies on average around 2 to 3000 feet of altitude, but may sometimes have to go to more than 6000 feet to find a wind with a more favorable direction and speed. It is also possible to fly at less than 1000 feet, or even at the top of the trees of a forest, to give a totally different view of the landscape.
The short version is that it is impossible to steer a hot air balloon.
The long version is that a pilot is able, in some way, to steer his balloon according to the altitude and the winds.
Approximately, we lose 2 degrees Celsius for every 1,000 feet of altitude. So if it is 20 degrees Celsius on the ground, it will be about 18 degrees Celsius at 1,000 feet, and so on. Also, since the balloon is moving at the same speed as the wind, you will hardly feel the wind factor during the flight.
No, however, we ask passengers to specify on the reservation form the languages that are understood and spoken, in order to facilitate the assignment to a pilot.
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