The Great Smoky Mountains Balloon Festival is returning for their sixth annual celebration.

The event brings in thousands of people for hot air balloon activities.

Professional balloonists will be taking guests on tethered rides up in the air.

New for 2023, the festival will be selling reusable water bottles and providing refill stations to cut down on plastic. Guests can also look forward to a DJ, food trucks and more than 30 craft booths.

Gates open for the one-day event at 3 p.m. on August 19 at the Townsend Visitor Center.