Welcome to the Great Texas Balloon Race
It's a world class event attracting the very best competitive pilots from across the United States and the world.
Considered by many of the pilots that compete at the Great Texas Balloon Race to be the best run event on the circuit, the Great Texas Balloon Race earned Longview the official designation as "The Balloon Capital of Texas" by the Governor of Texas in 1985.
In 2013 Gregg County was proclaimed "The Balloon Race Capital of Texas" by the 83rd Texas Legislature.
Competitive balloon flights are scheduled for the mornings of Friday through Sunday over Longview. Launch and landing sites change each day as they are always determined by wind and the weather.
U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship
June 12-18, 2023
U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship returns to Longview
Longview will again welcome the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship June 12-18, 2023, with the Great Texas Balloon Race competition run in conjunction with it June 16-18, 2023.
U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship
The GTBR competition
The Great Texas Balloon Race Story
In 1978, the Great Texas Balloon Race was born from an agreement between Dr. Bill Bussey, D.D.S., a world-record hot air balloon pilot, and Frankie Parson Riggins and Mary LeTourneau, Longview Mall managers.
A world-class country artist who has had 14 No. 1 singles will headline the Great Texas Balloon Race this year.
Check here for ticket information
The entertainment lineup for this year's GTBR has been released. Tickets are now on sale at outhousetickets.com. Tickets are $15 for Friday only; $20 for Saturday only; and $30 for a weekend pass.
