PAirleberg Balloon Festival

Hot Air Balloons Over the Prignitz

From September 18 to 20, 2026, Perleberg will become the balloon capital of North Brandenburg. The PAirleberg Balloon Festival — a play on words combining "Perleberg" and the English word "air" — is one of Brandenburg's few balloon festivals, utilizing the open landscape of the Prignitz for a spectacular show. The festival meadow is located on the outskirts of town; exact logistics details will be announced shortly before the event. The organizer is Kulturscheune in Schilde, a small, dedicated cultural center from the neighboring village of Schilde, which has been hosting the festival for several years.

Daytime Balloon Launches, Evening Balloon Glow

The daily schedule follows the rhythm of the balloon pilots: early morning and late afternoon hours — times when the thermals are calm — are reserved for launches. Then, dozens of colorful hot air balloons rise from the festival grounds, drift over the Prignitz, and land a few kilometers away in fields and meadows. Those brave enough can fly along: opportunities to fly can be booked on-site; details and prices are announced on the festival website or directly by the organizer.

The Balloon Glow — Evening Light Spectacle

The undisputed highlight is the balloon glow on Friday and Saturday evenings. At dusk, the balloons are inflated on the festival grounds and anchored to the ground; the gas burners are ignited in sync with music, causing the envelopes to light up in rhythm. From a distance, the scene resembles a moving, breathing string of lights over the meadow — one of the most impressive spectacles to experience at a Brandenburg festival. The music is played through large speakers; classics like Queen, film scores, and electronic tracks are typically featured.

Family Program and Culinary Delights

Stalls are set up around the festival grounds: regional specialties from the Prignitz (game, lamb, potatoes), beer and wine, along with street food, crêpes, and ice cream. Families will find play areas, a petting zoo, and craft activities. Local musicians perform throughout the day on a small stage. Overall, a relaxed program — the main attraction remains the balloons.

Perleberg and the Prignitz

Perleberg, the district town of Prignitz, is a Hanseatic city in the far northwest of Brandenburg with about 11,500 inhabitants. The medieval townscape with its Roland statue and the Gothic brick church of St. Jakobi is one of the most beautiful in the region. The Prignitz itself is a sparsely populated, largely flat agricultural landscape — ideal for hot air balloons, whose pilots appreciate clear visibility and calm winds. Visitors to the festival can combine it well with a stroll through Perleberg's old town and a trip to Lake Stechlin or the Elbe meadows.