Glow Over Paris Lights Up Eiffel Tower Park

PARIS (September 5) — Hot air balloons returned to the Paris skyline on Saturday as hundreds of visitors gathered at Eiffel Tower Park for Glow Over Paris.

The festival marked the return of a local tradition after an absence of approximately three decades. Parking areas surrounding the park filled as visitors arrived from across the region and neighboring states. Vehicles were directed to additional parking at Memorial Park Cemetery, Eiffel Tower Park Extended and the Paris Civic Center, while others parked at nearby businesses and along Jim Adams Drive.

Eight colorful hot air balloons participated in the event. Several offered tethered rides that lifted passengers above the park, while others remained anchored for the evening glow. As darkness settled over Paris, burners illuminated the balloons against the backdrop of the city’s Eiffel Tower.

The festival ran from 5-10 p.m. and also featured food trucks and live entertainment. Saved by the Music performed hits from the 1990s from the Eiffel Tower stage.

High temperatures presented an additional challenge during the afternoon. With the heat index reaching approximately 106 degrees, the Eiffel Tower Splash Park remained open free of charge, giving children and adults a place to cool off throughout the event.

Glow Over Paris was presented by the Henry County Tourism Authority in partnership with the City of Paris. City employees and Paris Police officers assisted with traffic and parking as a steady stream of visitors entered the park.

Henry County Tourism Authority Operations Manager Tara Wilson said organizers had worked for nearly a year to bring the balloon festival back to the community.

The evening concluded with the illuminated balloons glowing above the park, reviving a popular Paris tradition and giving a new generation of attendees an evening of great memories.