Scottsdale Events

The Colorado River Crossing Hot Air Balloon Festival is one of Yuma, AZ's premier annual events. The festival attracts some of the most colorful and unique balloons from the West and Southwest.

Staged over three days in November, with mass ascensions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, the festival uses the Colorado River and the Sonoran Desert as its backdrop.

The highlight is its Barney's Convenience Stores Desert Balloon Glow that takes place on Saturday night at Yuma's Desert Sun Baseball Stadium where tethered balloons fill the baseball field and with their burners firing at full blast, allowing the balloons to glow brightly in the dark desert sky. The entire pageant is set to music. Prior to the glow there is a tissue balloon launch featuring miniature balloon constructed by local Yuma area students.