Hot air balloon show draws huge crowds on opening day at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad

The Hyderabad Hot Air Balloon Festival opened at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad on Friday (January 16, 2026) with large crowds gathering despite delays and sold-out tickets for the first evening session.

The show was originally scheduled to begin at 5.00 p.m., but operations were delayed. The balloons were inflated beginning from around 5.30 p.m. as the sun began to set. Even before that, members of the public started arriving as early as 4.00 p.m. in the hope of witnessing the spectacle and trying their luck at securing a ride. By evening, the parking lot was filled with cars and two-wheelers, reflecting the strong public interest in the event.

Malkajgiri Police has placed a banner on tickets sold out for the hot air balloon show on Friday
| Photo Credit:
SIDDHARTH KUMAR SINGH

Malkajgiri Police had put up a prominent banner at the entrance reading, “Public Notice: Today’s Hot Air Balloon Show. Tickets are sold out. Please cooperate”. However, this did little to deter people, with thousands gathering around the enclosure to watch the balloons being inflated for the tethered flights.Officials said a total of 133 tickets were sold for Day 1 of the festival.

Unlike balloon rides held on the city outskirts, which covered about 13 kilometres and lasted for over an hour, the Secunderabad flights were restricted due to controlled airspace. Around 14 balloons were tethered, meaning they were tied to the ground with ropes to control movement. The balloons were permitted to rise only vertically to an altitude of about 50 feet, remain airborne for approximately seven minutes, and then descend back to the same spot.