40th Annual Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally

In 1983, a few families got together and argued over who had the best Spiedie recipe in Binghamton. Spiedies are small pieces of marinated meat (lamb, chicken, pork, or beef) that can be skewered and then grilled. To put an end to their friendly rivalry, they held the first Spiedie Fest Cooking Contests in 1983 and 1984. After a successful contest in 1984, a small committee formed and it was decided to create the first SpiedieFest and Balloon Rally at Otsiningo Park with about five hot air balloons, some local music, and a small children’s area. The goal was simple, to host a safe, fun, affordable event in which our community would be proud. The first year had an attendance of approximately 4,000. We now host what is considered one of the top hot air balloon rallies in the country drawing over 100,000 admissions each year. Our philosophy remains the same now as it was in 1984: provide a safe, fun, and affordable weekend for our community.