The weather was unfortunately inclement on February 14 and 15, the first two days of 2025’s Balloons and Tunes Roundup; with cold precipitation on Friday and thick fog on Saturday, it was determined the festival’s titular hot air balloons must stay grounded.
However, the event’s luck - and the weather - turned around on Sunday morning, with clear skies and brisk winds suitable for a hot air balloon launch. According to event organizers, attendance was high both for the Sunday morning launch and the street fair activities scheduled for the festival duration.
Left to right:
The 2025 Balloons and Tunes Roundup had a higher-than-usual turnout for balloons. Photo by Justyne Moore.
Volunteers helped set up and breakdown the balloon launch sites – with some hopefuls even getting prepped in case the fog parted on Saturday. Photo by Camberly Anderson.
The Balloon Glow and street fair saw high attendance. Photo via Camberly Anderson.
The three-day event hosted dozens of balloons and hundreds of visitors, with dense traffic and business custom throughout the weekend, with some local businesses reporting dramatically increased numbers even through the weekend and on to President’s Day afterward. Said one local restaurant owner, “We did more business over the Balloons and Tunes weekend than we did the other weeks of February combined.” Another local business stated, “We basically have Balloons and Tunes to thank for keeping us in the black for the year’s first quarter.”
There was some local pushback online criticizing the event’s planning or its focus on tourism and visitation. Event organizer Camberly Anderson, with the Kane County Office of Tourism, stated of the interrupted flights, “We appreciate your understanding, we are bummed about the flights but super blessed and happy for the much-needed moisture in our area … a huge thank you to our pilots, vendors, sponsors, volunteers, entertainers and, most of all, you - our amazing attendees!” Next year’s Balloons and Tunes is scheduled for the third week of February; 20, 21 and 22 2026.
