As the largest, most attended event in the Greater Centralia Area, Balloon Fest plays a valuable role in the economic development of the community.

With patrons, pilots and vendors traveling across the country to take part, and over 40,000 people estimated in Foundation Park each year, Balloon Fest creates additional revenue for hotels and motels, restaurants, retail stores, gas stations, and more in Centralia and its surrounding areas.

2023’s Balloon Fest weekend was estimated to have brought 15,000 thousand people into the park on Friday; 20,000 on Saturday; and 5,000 on Sunday.

If each of the 20,000 who visited Saturday spent $50 between these or other businesses, that would bring an estimated $1 million into the greater community.

“The Balloon Fest is a fantastic event in our community. It’s one of the largest events in our region, and the largest event in the city,” said Derek Sherman, director of economic development for the City of Centralia. “Balloon Fest helps showcase Centralia and all of the businesses and activities and amenities you can enjoy here.”

“It’s also a big hook for us to get people into town and get more people introduced to the city,” Sherman continued. “It helps pack our restaurants, and we have more sales tax from Balloon Fest. It gives a lot of our businesses a boost.”

According to the City’s Placer.ai data service, the five Centralia businesses patronized most during last year’s Balloon Fest weekend were Wal-Mart, Fairview Park Plaza, Circle K, McDonalds and Caseys.

Sherman said the majority of Balloon Fest’s out-of-state guests hail from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Missouri.

“The Best Western Plus Hotel in Centralia is reserved completely for hot air balloon pilots and crew. We know visitors stay in the surrounding communities of Salem, Mt. Vernon, Carlyle, and Nashville, bringing economic impact to our region,” adds Marcus Holland, executive director of the Centralia chamber of commerce.

With quality improvements to various aspects of the event, including food vendors and live entertainment, the 35th Annual Centralia Balloon Fest is poised to continue its tradition of strengthening the city’s economy in 2024.