More than 40 hot air balloons were scheduled to be brought to the balloon launch field for the September 4-6 event, kicking off Labor Day weekend with the 9th annual Hot Air Affair: Rising Above Cancer. The launches benefited the Cancer Association of Anderson and served as the opening act for the county's broader Labor Day festivities.
Among those identified at the event was David M. Fuller II. Jacksonville, Florida resident Todd Hastie helped prepare the Yut II Hey balloon for flight. The event also featured additional balloon preparations and chase crews. The event received local coverage.
A Fundraiser Born From Personal Diagnosis
The event traces back to Cancer Association of Anderson Executive Director Angie Stringer, who conceived the balloon festival after her own cancer diagnosis. The idea came to her after she looked up and saw a hot air balloon overhead following a chemotherapy treatment, according to the Anderson Observer. Stringer envisioned the balloon as a symbol of hope, and the festival has since grown into a signature community event now in its ninth year.
Beyond raising money, the Hot Air Affair gives local residents currently in active cancer treatment a chance to check bucket-list experiences off their lists, offering complimentary hot air balloon flights and tethered rides, per the Cancer Association of Anderson. The festival also includes a dedicated Survivors Tent and a Warrior Walk to honor patients from around the county.
How the Money Reaches Local Patients
As the only local cancer charity serving Anderson County, the nonprofit provides active treatment patients up to $1,000 annually toward essential medical costs, including prescription coverage and travel stipends, the organization's website notes. All patient support services are offered free of charge to county residents regardless of income.
The nonprofit has also been investing in its own infrastructure. The Cancer Association of Anderson broke ground on an expanded facility backed by an $850,000 state legislative grant. The expanded facility is part of the group's broader infrastructure investment, alongside its direct financial aid.
A Bigger Footprint for 2026
This year's festival grew beyond the traditional balloon launches. The 2026 Hot Air Affair added a rural agricultural expo inside the Anderson Civic Center, featuring livestock displays, cooking demonstrations, and Scottish Highland cows meant to recreate a traditional county fair atmosphere, according to the same Anderson Observer report. The multi-day event also folds in a car show, a motorcycle ride by U.S. Combat Veterans, and a color run.
The balloon festival began on September 4, while Celebrate Anderson joined on September 6, a free Labor Day weekend community festival that Anderson County established in 1998 to bring together communities across the county. The joint celebration is considered the largest free Labor Day weekend event in South Carolina, according to Anderson County, with this year's festivities continuing the annual celebration.
A Bicentennial Backdrop
The 2026 Labor Day weekend also coincides with Anderson County's 200th anniversary. Festivities incorporate a Bicentennial drone light show alongside fireworks following Sunday evening's headline concert by Yacht Rock Schooner, per Kidding Around Greenville. Anderson County is marking its bicentennial, according to the Anderson Observer. The bicentennial commemorations are also part of this year's broader festivities.
This year's concert staging also looks different than in years past. A $12.6 million county bond project to overhaul the William A. Floyd Amphitheater could begin as early as the week after August 7, 2026, shifting the 2026 Celebrate Anderson concert staging to the adjacent Balloon Launch Field, as Hoodline previously reported. That move followed a record crowd of more than 11,000 people at the Anderson Sports & Entertainment Center in September 2025, and the amphitheater renovation is designed to add permanent seating aimed at an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 annual ticket buyers once complete.
Weather Rules the Skies
Balloon launches remain weather-dependent, with conditions determining whether events like Friday's flights can proceed from year to year.
