2021 Kyle Pie in the Sky Takes Flight this Labor Day Weekend

KYLE, TEXAS – The annual Kyle Pie in the Sky Hot Air Balloon Festival will once again take flight this Labor Day weekend.

Pie in the Sky has been an annual event in Kyle since 2017 and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the state and outside of Texas.

The event features morning hot air balloon “mass ascensions” where balloons take off at sunrise flying over Kyle on Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as beautiful “glow shows” in the evenings, where tethered hot air balloons will glow against the evening sky at Lake Kyle. All balloon events are weather-dependent.

This year’s festival will feature about 25 balloons, including Top Flight, Ladybug and Spider Pig. For an additional $25 onsite, festival attendees will be able to step inside a hot air balloon basket and lift high into the sky while safely tethered to the ground. Tickets for tethered rides are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis and are weather dependent.

“After a year of postponements and cancellations, we are so excited to bring back the Kyle Pie in the Sky Hot Air Balloon Festival,” Special Events Coordinator Sarah Watson said. “We’ve arranged for lots of new festival experiences — including great specialty balloons, a headlining performance from Texas’ own Kyle Park, increased pie-eating contest spectacle, kid zone activities and much more. We’ve got something for everyone this year, and we’re planning on making a weekend of it!”

Every year, Pie in the Sky features pie-eating contests hosted by Broadway Bank, a pie baking contest hosted by the Plum Creek Recreation Committee, a Pie Café, a vendor market with artisan crafts, unique products and great food, live music performances throughout the weekend, and a children’s zone with activities.

This year’s Music lineup includes Kyle Park as the Saturday night Headliner and performances by Django Walker, Sloppy Joe, the Broken Arrow Band, LC Rocks and more.

Anyone named Kyle — spelled that way — is once again invited to participate in the Gathering of the Kyles on Saturday morning with the goal to break the Guinness World Record for the most Kyles in one place. Past participants have come from as far away as Massachusetts.

Aside from glow shows and morning flights, the festival will also light up the night sky with two fireworks shows on Friday and Saturday night.

Limited on-site public parking will be available at Lake Kyle this year for $20 a vehicle. Free shuttles to and from Lake Kyle will be running continuously between the festival and free parking locations at Lehman High School, 1700 Lehman Rd.; Tobias Elementary, 1005 E. RM 150; and Seton Medical Professional Offices, 1180 Seton Pkwy.

New this year, the City of Kyle will be subsidizing Uber rides to and from the festival, as long as it is within Kyle City Limits, through the Uber Kyle $3.14 program. For more information on how to use the Uber Kyle $3.14 program, go to CityofKyle.com/UberKyle314.

Attendees should be aware that the festival takes a break on Saturday between noon and 5 p.m. During that time, visitors can enjoy a tour of the Historic Train Depot in downtown Kyle, play a round of disc golf or swim at the Kyle Pool. A variety of restaurants are also in the historic district and throughout Kyle.

Tickets are available for pre-sale prices at $5 per person for morning sessions and $10 per person for evening sessions. Tickets purchased at the gate will be $10 per person for morning sessions and $20 per person for evening sessions. Kids 10 and under are always free. Bags will be checked at the gate, and clear bags are encouraged. Guests can purchase tickets and plan their Labor Day weekend in Kyle with a list of nearby hotels and eateries, shuttle schedules, directions and maps to parking at www.pieinthesky.com.

All tethered rides and ticket purchases at the gate will be credit/debit card only, though market vendors may accept cash or credit. An ATM will be available on site. The city is still accepting applications for market and food vendors. For more information, go to pieinthesky.com/get-involved.

The Kyle Pie in the Sky Hot Air Balloon Festival is made possible through the generous donations made by Texas Disposal Systems, Pinnacle Propane, Sunbelt Rentals, H-E-B, Texas Pie Company, Broadway Bank, Plum Creek Golf Course and the Plum Creek Recreation Committee.