February 14, 2025

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Hudson Hot Air Affair

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Event:
Hudson Hot Air Affair
Start:
February 7, 2025
End:
February 9, 2025
Category:
, ,
Updated:
January 23, 2018
Venue:
River Crest Elementary School
Phone:
715-386-8411
Address:
535 County F, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Hudson Hot Air Affair

Hudson bursts with color in the middle of winter with the balloon-filled Hot Air Affair! Enjoy not only hot air balloons, but a HUGE slew of events throughout the weekend, both indoors and out. The Hot Air Affair balloons, of course, are all outside. Twenty featured balloons will launch Saturday and Sunday morning at 8am.

Hudson Hot Air Affair in Hudson, WisconsinStarting Friday at 10am and running all weekend, many of Hudson’s shops, destinations, and restaurants have special offers, promotions, and events. They include the Sippin’ with the Hotties Beverage Crawl and the “Staying Alive in 2025” Torchlight Parade starting at 7pm in downtown Hudson.

Saturday at 7:35am is the first Balloon Launch, with 20 hot air balloons rising from River Crest Elementary School on County F, south of Hudson. Across the area, you can look to the sky and see the balloons dotting the winter sky. A Pancake Breakfast precedes this at 7am at the Hudson Masonic Lodge on Locust Street in town. A Smoosh Board Competition also takes place at River Crest from 1-2:30pm with four people strapped onto two Smooshboards.

A second balloon launch happens Saturday afternoon at 3pm, also from River Crest Elementary. All day long, River Crest also hosts the Marketplace & Craft Fair, running 8am-8pm Saturday.

Back in town, the St. Croix River Dunk goes on from 1-3pm at Lakefront Park Beach; it’s the Hudson Rotary Club’s premiere winter fundraising event and… it sounds cold.

The Sunday Balloon Launch takes place at 7:35am – yes – from River Crest. All balloon inflations and flights are weather-dependent.

Geocaching fans, the Hot Air Affair has plenty of coordinates for you to uncover, with a series of new hidden geocaches.

Saturday from Noon to 3pm is the Bean Bag Tournament at Hop & Barrel Brewing Company on 310 2nd Street, which also happens to be Highway 35.

Saturday from 11am to 4pm, the Octagon House has walking tours and both the house/museum and the carriage house will be open for tours in return for a small, suggested donation. An After the Glow Dance Party caps off Saturday evening at The Empourium on Rodeo Drive in Hudson with live music and plenty of fun.

Sunday continues with geocaching, the Pop Up Ballon Launch at 7:35am again, and continued deals and events at shops and restaurants. At 12pm, you can check out the Hot Air Balloon Fat Bike Race. It takes place at Lakefront Park in Hudson. It’s a 3K technical sprint along the St. Croix River bottoms and through the park, with “punchy hills and twisty turns.” 3pm is the Balloonist Roundtable.

Hudson is right along the gorgeous St. Croix River on the border with Minnesota, where I-94 and U.S. 12 enter the state. Highway 35 runs through the center of town. The beautiful Willow River State Park is nearby. Check out Hudson whenever you can, but if you can make it for Hot Air Affair, it’s definitely going to be a soaring good time!

Hudson Hot Air Affair Torchlight Parade
The Torchlight Parade lights up the night during Hudson’s Hot Air Affair.

Hot Air Affair Address:

Downtown Hudson as well as River Crest Elementary School
535 County Road F
Hudson, WI 54016
(715) 386-4011 or (800) 657-6775
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