Stone Temple Pilots, Lynyrd Skynyrd to Perform at Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Fest

Marquee acts slated to play the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival in Winchester next month include Stone Temple Pilots, Lynyrd Skynyrd and George Thorogood & The Destroyers, organizers announced Wednesday.

The event — a tradition going back to 1983 — is scheduled for the weekend of May 17-19 within the Lake Skinner Recreation Area, just east of Temecula.

The fest returned in 2022 following a two-year hiatus stemming from the COVID lockdowns.

Hot air balloon rides will be going all three days, lasting about an hour and rising up hundreds of feet, providing guests with scenic vistas of the valley, Cleveland National Forest to the west and mountains to the north and east.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to quietly soar above Lake Skinner and the beautiful Temecula Valley wineries & vineyards, feeling as if you’re suspended in air,” according to tvbwf.com.

A total of 50 balloons will be tethered at the site. All rides are subject to cancellation if the weather turns. Tickets run $40 to $60 apiece.

Dozens of vendors will be on hand, including a bevy of vintners providing samples of the area’s finest ports.

Some attendees may be under tents or in trailers at the Lake Skinner campground. Organizers said that space remains available and can be reserved now.

There will be carnival rides, dancing and an array of adult beverages to enjoy.

Festival passes run between $60 and $2,500, depending on what events a festival-goer intends to attend. Parking fees are separate from the price of admission.

All events will wrap up at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 19.

More information is available at www.tvbwf.com.

City News Service contributed to this article.