Poteau OK: Balloons & BBQ Theme Chosen for the 2025 Annual Festival Poteau Balloon Fest
Poteau Balloon Fest 2025: Poteau Chamber host several events throughout the year. The Balloon Fest is the largest event in the Community and the “longest running balloon festival in the state.” This year the events theme “Come Fly With us” brings new and exciting events.
Poteau Balloon Fest Organizers is rising to new heights with being the host for Kansas City Barbeque Society, KCBS Oklahoma State Championship and Oklahoma Barbeque Society OKBS Registered Event on Saturday October 18th. This will be the third time in ten years for the Poteau Festival to host the KCBS Competition.
The longest running balloon fest in the state began in 2006 and continued to grow winning awards and recognitions. It is one of Oklahoma’s fastest growing and most breathtaking events as the vast colors of balloons take flight among nature’s fall colors over the Poteau River Valley Region.
In 2024 over 10,000 visitors were recorded in two days. The number of visitors each year also helps contribute to Poteau’s economy and the money spent to produce the event is with local business providing an incredibly positive event with a vast number of area sponsors and over four hundred volunteers. Schools and Organizations benefit from money donated from the festival each year helping as a chase crew, parking cars and trash pickup.
In 2013 the Poteau Balloon Fest received the Governor’s Red Bud Award for Outstanding Event of the year. In 2014 it was named #3 in the Top 40 Things to do in Oklahoma by Oki centric Magazine. TravelOK dubbed the Poteau Balloon Fest an “adrenaline rush.” In 2018 it was selected as one of the best fall festivals in Oklahoma by Best of American Towns Media. “The festival’s signature Balloons are only one of the attractions; from Carnival Rides, Monster Truck Rides, Helicopter rides, Animals, Circus Acts, Vendors and more have made the event an enormous success these past years.
The Balloon Fest Committee will not stop continuing to bring back the festival with so much more after taking one year off with the pandemic in 2020. Those attending the 2025 Festival will be “Flying High 2025” with new energy, attractions, and those amazing colors of Balloons with the pilots presenting a great glow each night. Thank you to all that have helped make this event a huge successful attraction for our area over the past 18 years. “We look forward to continuing, states Karen Wages, Chamber CEO.”
For more information contact Karen Wages 918-647-9178 or e-mail ceopoteau@poteauchamber.com
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