Family Festivals in Montreal

International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

International de montgolfières de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

The International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (International des Montgolfières de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu) is the largest hot air balloon festival in Canada. This gathering of balloons is very popular with kids of all ages. The International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu features hot air balloons, music, rides and attractions. Along with hot air balloons, the festival also features activity areas with various games, inflatable structures interactive animated shows.

Hot Air Balloons of Various Shapes and Sizes

Attracting over 350,000 spectators annually, the festival features over 100 hot air balloons, including some special shape balloons. Some of the special shapes seen in past festivals include dragons, bees pandas and an airplane. The festival features three essential elements:

The beauty of hot air balloons in flight along with their beautiful glow at night
Various free activities for the entire family
Major shows nightly that feature some of the world’s most recognized musicians

Hot Air Balloon Rides and Night Glows

Visitors can take a hot air balloon ride every morning at 6a.m. or every evening at 6 p.m. You should keep in mind that each person riding a balloon must pay a fee for riding the balloons. At night, all the balloons on-site are illuminated into beautiful works of art that light up the night. This night glow is one of the most popular events of the hot air balloon festival.

A 9-day Festival

The International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is a 9-day festival. With Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu being only 20 minutes away from Montreal, this is a festival that the entire family can enjoy.