PHOTOS: 2026 Balloon Fest Window Decorating Contest
A record number of businesses participated in the 2026 Old West Balloon Fest Window Decorating Contest, bringing colorful displays to Mitchell, Scottsbluff and Gering. Check out the Star-Herald's photo gallery of participating businesses.
This year, the contest included an "Adopt-A-Pilot" theme, with businesses decorating their windows to "adopt" pilots and celebrate Old West Balloon Fest. The contest marked the largest participation in its history. All 58 participating pilots were adopted, while 29 local businesses competed for top honors.
Dairy King welcomes Old West Balloon Fest visitors with a hand-painted storefront display, one of 29 entries judged this year on creativity, theme and overall impact.
A detail of Dairy King's balloon-themed window art, part of the business's entry in the 2026 Adopt-a-Pilot Window Decorating Contest. Dairy King adopted Allen Anderson and “Pixie Styx,” along with Don Edwards and “Head South.”
Pilot Blair Kaufman’s hot air balloon “Hearts Desire” decorates a window at Rosita's, one of dozens of storefronts dressed up for this year's balloon festival.
Scottsbluff City Hall got in on the community spirit with its own "Old West Balloon Fest" window display, adopting Mark Williams and “Bubbles,” left, and Joe Heartsill and “Texas Racer.”
A closer look at Scottsbluff City Hall's festival-themed window art, reflecting the citywide enthusiasm organizers say made 2026 a standout year for the event.
Joe Heartsill’s "Texas Racer" balloon design brightens a Scottsbluff City Hall window, part of the decorations that echoed the official Adopt-a-Pilot contest held at nearby businesses.
Dairy Queen's "Serving Happiness One Flight at a Time" window display helped the business earn an Honorable Mention in the Best "Business Spirit" category. Dairy Queen adopted pilot Nick Donner and his balloon “Actin’ Up.”
A hand-drawn penguin represents pilot Richard Lawhorn and his balloon "Snobird" in the Midwest Theater's contest entry. On the right is Kimberly Whiteman’s balloon “Flame Buoyant.”
The Midwest Theater's window welcomes pilot Kimberly Whiteman of Kamas, Utah, and her balloon "Flame Buoyant," surrounded by postcard-style images of Utah landmarks.
Postcard images of Louisville, Kentucky, landmarks accompany the Midwest Theater's tribute to pilot Richard Lawhorn's balloon "Snobird."
The Scottsbluff Public Library's windows pay tribute to adopted pilots Peg Bilson’s "Shilo" and Todd Ness’s "Life’s Little Ups & Downs," reflecting the contest's community outreach beyond retail storefronts.
Security First Bank's red, white and blue balloon murals earned the business top honors in the Best "Patriotic" Theme category. The bank adopted local pilot Mike Johnson, of Mitchell, and his balloon “Crosswins” and Clayton Crouch, of Watkins, Colorado, and his balloon “Checkered Past." Visit starherald.com to see more windows from area businesses.
Sixth Dimension Crystals welcomes "Old West Balloon Fest '26" with a painted display featuring pilot Landon Khotz and his balloon “Heatwave,” part of the shop's contest entry.
Taco De Oro's storefront honors adopted pilot Grant Pfeifer of Des Moines, Iowa, and his balloon "With A Twist," as part of this year's window decorating contest.
The Blossom Shop's cactus-and-balloon window, honoring pilot Michael Glen of Mesa, Arizona, and his balloon "Joelly," helped the shop take an Honorable Mention in Best "Creativity and Use of Objects."
A detail from The Blossom Shop's window shows a tribute to pilot Patrick Cloyd of Indianola, Iowa, and his balloon "Malon Labe," part of the shop's award-winning entry.
A cluster of hand-painted balloons with David Bowling’s “The Wind Whisperer,” left, and Jesse Harden’s “Claw’d,” mark The Flower Basket's entry in this year's contest, judged by a panel that traveled from as far as Oshkosh.
Bluff's Bakery's sandwich-shaped hot air balloon display, complete with patriotic gnome passengers, was part of the bakery's entry in this year's window contest.
A closer look at Bluff's Bakery's window art, which welcomes pilot Cory Bloom and pairs bagels and coffee with a painted design of Bloom’s balloon “Czech Mate.”
Gering Bakery's rainbow-striped balloon and donut-filled basket display helped the bakery win the Best "Business Spirit" category outright.
Gering Public Library's windows announce Old West Balloon Fest between tributes to pilots Jobe Skinner and his balloon "Texas Bandit," left, and Kacey Schwemmer’s "Zenith," framed by painted Texas and Kansas landscapes.
Gering Public Schools welcomes Chris Garcia’s and his balloon "Half Past,” of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a display.
Home Instead's window mural welcoming pilot Cory Gwin of Hot Springs, South Dakota, helped the business win the Best "New" Window category for first-year participants.
A second Home Instead window honors pilot Chase Donner and his balloon “TBD” of Plain City, Ohio, part of the business's award-winning contest debut.
Intralinks Technical Solutions decorated its storefront with patriotic hot air balloon murals for this year's Old West Balloon Fest.
Scott Free Brewing Company's window display, featuring Brad Craig’s "Cheetah," left, and Aaron Foelske’s "Hummingbird," earned the brewery an Honorable Mention in Best "Business Spirit."
TruGreen's sun-burst balloon murals, featuring Jeff Bennett’s "Soul Shine," left, and Phil Clinger’s "Overheat," earned the Gering business an Honorable Mention in the Best "New" Window category for first-time contest participants.
Platte Valley Bank – Gering's patriotic balloon displays, honoring pilots Jonathan Wright and his balloon “Unchained Remix” from Arizona, left, and Joe Zvada with “Tearing at the Seams,” from Tennessee, earned the bank an Honorable Mention in Best "Patriotic" Theme.
A single painted balloon, Gary Heavin’s “Almost Heaven,” adorns the entrance of the Scotts Bluff County Administrative Offices, joining the wider community display for Old West Balloon Fest.
Shelby Lynn Floral Design's "Jaws"-themed underwater window, blending a shark attack scene with pilot John Wilson’s hot air balloon of the same name, won the shop first place in Best "Creativity and Use of Objects."
The Mixing Bowl Bakery & Cafe's road-trip-themed window, featuring pilot Jeremy Rubin’s "Trilogy," welcomes pilots with painted balloons and route art from Nebraska to Iowa, Rubin’s home state.
A second window at Cornerstone Coffee carries the shop's hot air balloon theme, part of a communitywide decorating effort organizers called the largest in the contest's history.
Painted balloons adorn a Cornerstone Coffee window as part of this year's Adopt-a-Pilot contest, which saw all 58 participating pilots matched with local businesses. Cornerstone Coffee adopted Sanne Haarhuis and “Dutch Direct,” left, along with John Petrehn and “Photo Finish.”
Cornerstone Coffee joined dozens of Mitchell, Scottsbluff and Gering businesses decorating storefronts for the 2026 Old West Balloon Fest Adopt-a-Pilot contest, which drew a record 29 competing businesses this year.
Local businesses decorated their windows to welcome their Old West Balloon Fest pilots. The competition was fierce, organizers said. The Star-Herald gathered photos of that creativity on display.
