The Canowindra International Balloon Challenge is back for 2025, and this year promises not only breathtaking skies filled with vibrant hot air balloons, but also two massive nights of live entertainment that will turn this quiet NSW town into a buzzing hub of hot air balloons, music, community spirit, and celebration.
The festival’s biggest weekend kicks off on Friday, 2 May, with the Home Ground Sounds Concert at the Canowindra Sports Complex. Gates open at 5:00pm, welcoming attendees to an evening of non-stop music from some of Australia’s best-loved performers. Rising country artist Nathan Lamont sets the tone at 5:50pm, followed by the energetic Big Night Out at 6:55pm.
Country-rock sensation Casey Barnes takes the stage at 8:00pm, delivering his signature hits, before the night explodes with the incredible Furnace and the Fundamentals at 9:30pm—a genre-defying party band known for their electric stage presence and unforgettable covers.
The momentum carries into Saturday, 3 May, beginning at dawn with the exciting Balloon Key Grab (weather permitting) at 6:00am at the Sports Complex, where pilots aim to grab an item from a target while navigating their balloons—an event that blends aerial skill and drama. From 8:00am, the CWA will be serving up their famous all-day breakfast, offering a hearty start for balloon festival-goers.
At 11:00am, the town’s historic Gaskill Street comes alive with the Street Parade, featuring floats, local groups, and the always-popular Ben Hall Re-enactment, a crowd-favourite performance that brings bushranger folklore to life.
The celebration continues in the afternoon with the Cabonne Community Glow event, where gates open at 3:00pm for a full lineup of entertainment. The Alikinetic Dancers open the stage, dazzling with rhythm and colour, followed by rising star Zak Armstrong, and a second set from Nathan Lamont with his full band. Headlining the evening is the powerful Thunderstruck, an AC/DC tribute band that promises to rock Canowindra with two full sets of iconic hits.
The climax of the evening—and the heart of the festival—is the stunning Balloon Glow, expected to ignite the sky around 7:00pm. A visual spectacle like no other, the Glow sees dozens of balloons lit from within, glowing against the night sky in a perfectly choreographed show.
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