UFO Festival Tickets: Roswell and McMinnville Compared
UFO festival ticket prices depend on the event. Roswell’s 2026 city festival offered free general admission, while some activities required separate tickets, according to the festival FAQ. McMinnville also offered free public events alongside paid talks and activities, so visitors did not need a festival pass to take part in everything.
The 2026 prices are historical, not current ticket offers. At Roswell Galacticon, a day pass cost $5 for ages 11 and up, while a two-day VIP pass cost $25. McMinnville’s two-day UAP Pass cost $160. McMenamins has announced its next festival for May 14–15, 2027, but details about 2027 tickets are not yet available. The comparison below explains what each 2026 ticket covered.
Key Takeaways
- Roswell’s 2026 city festival offered free general admission, but some activities required separate tickets, including Galacticon’s $5 day pass for ages 11 and up and $25 two-day VIP pass.
- McMinnville’s 2026 downtown street fair and parade were free, while its $160 two-day UAP Pass covered ticketed speaker presentations, the speaker panel, and two drink tokens.
- McMinnville’s 2026 individual options included speaker presentations for $30–$50, UFO Trivia for $10, and the Close Encounters of the 3rd Vine tasting for $35, so visitors could compare separate activities with the pass.
- McMenamins has announced the next McMinnville UFO Festival for May 14–15, 2027, but 2027 ticket prices and details are not yet available, so visitors should check official updates before budgeting.
What Do UFO Festival Tickets Cover?
No single ticket covers every UFO festival or every activity within a festival. Roswell and McMinnville are separate events, each with its own program and ticket structure. A pass for one does not grant access to the other.
Roswell’s city festival ran July 2–4, 2026. The MainStreet Roswell festival FAQ explains that general admission was free, while some events required tickets. That distinction matters: attending the public festival did not automatically include every separately ticketed activity.
McMinnville’s 2026 festival also combined free public events with paid talks and activities. The downtown street fair and parade were open to the public, while speaker presentations and other scheduled activities had separate ticket arrangements. Visitors could enjoy the public festivities without buying a ticket for the paid program.
The prices in this guide refer to the 2026 events, not tickets currently on sale. Roswell Galacticon was part of the Roswell festival program, while McMenamins organized the McMinnville event in Oregon. The following comparison looks at what each event’s tickets covered, where free access ended, and how the programs differed.
What Did Roswell Festival Tickets Cost?
Roswell Galacticon’s 2026 paid options were a $5 day pass for each day, for visitors ages 11 and up, and a $25 two-day VIP pass. Children 10 and under were admitted free with an adult, according to the Roswell Galacticon ticket information.
The day pass covered admission for one day. The VIP pass included admission on both days, a VIP badge, a drawstring bag, and a T-shirt. For visitors planning to attend both paid days, the bundled pass also included keepsakes and a badge. It was not simply another name for general festival admission.
Galacticon was scheduled for July 2–4, 2026, at the UFO Museum Annex, 119 N. Main St. Thursday admission was free from 2–6 p.m. Paid admission applied Friday and Saturday, when the event was open from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. The official Galacticon details listed those hours separately from the day and VIP pass prices.
That schedule helps explain why Roswell’s free-admission headline did not mean every activity in the festival program was free. Galacticon had its own admission terms, while the wider city program included events across three days. The Roswell event listing advertised a drone show on July 2, a costume contest parade on July 3, and fireworks on July 4.
What Did McMinnville Tickets Include?
At the 2026 McMenamins UFO Festival, the two-day UAP Pass cost $160 and included all ticketed speaker presentations, the speaker panel, and two drink tokens. These are historical 2026 prices, not a current offer or a 2027 ticket menu. The pass bundled the ticketed talks and panel, but it did not cover every activity. Individual speaker presentations cost $30–$50, while UFO Trivia cost $10 and the Close Encounters of the 3rd Vine tasting cost $35. Visitors could choose these activities without buying the bundle. The speaker panel was also available separately for $30 in advance or $35 on the day. The panel was open to all ages, and its venue allowed service animals only. Someone mainly interested in the panel could compare its separate ticket with the pass, which also included the presentations and drink tokens. The bundle may have suited visitors planning to attend several presentations as well as the panel. Those more interested in trivia or the tasting could consider those separately priced activities instead of a pass that did not cover the entire program.
Which UFO Festival Events Were Free?
Roswell’s 2026 general festival admission was free, and McMinnville’s downtown street fair and parade were also free. Paid activities were optional. The MainStreet Roswell FAQ notes that some Roswell events required tickets, so free general admission did not cover every activity.
| Festival | Free events | Paid options |
|---|---|---|
| Roswell | General festival admission | Some separately ticketed events, including Roswell Galacticon admission |
| McMinnville | Downtown street fair and parade | Speaker presentations and other ticketed activities |
McMinnville’s 2026 downtown street fair was free and open to all ages on Friday, May 15, from 3–8 p.m., and Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. The parade was also free and open to all ages, beginning at noon on Saturday, May 16.
The Space Alien Fun Run was a paid activity, separate from the free street fair. In 2026, registration cost $30 for residents and $35 for non-residents. The run followed an approximately three-mile route, and each participant had to sign a City of McMinnville waiver. Visitors could attend McMinnville’s public downtown events without paying for the run or ticketed talks.
How Should Visitors Compare Ticket Options?
Visitors should compare UFO festival tickets by confirming the event and dates, separating free public festivities from paid sessions, and weighing a bundle against the activities they want to attend. McMenamins has announced its 27th annual UFO Festival for May 14–15, 2027, in McMinnville, Oregon. The available ticket details describe 2026 only, so they do not establish a 2027 price list or ticket menu.
- Identify the event and year first: Roswell’s 2026 festival ran July 2–4, while McMinnville’s 2026 festival ran May 14–16. Do not mistake old ticket details for current offers.
- Separate public festivities from ticketed sessions: Visitors mainly interested in street events can focus on free public activities. Those seeking talks, trivia, tastings, or the panel should check the relevant paid options. MainStreet Roswell’s FAQ also notes that some festival events required tickets.
- Compare a bundle with the sessions on the visitor’s list: McMinnville’s 2026 UAP Pass cost $160 and covered ticketed speaker presentations and the panel, while individual presentations cost $30–$50, trivia cost $10, and the tasting cost $35.
Before making travel plans, visitors should confirm the official program and ticket terms for the year they intend to attend.
What Makes Each Festival Distinct?
Roswell combines a citywide festival program with separately ticketed Galacticon, while McMinnville pairs free downtown events with paid talks and activities. Roswell’s 2026 program advertised a drone show, costume contest parade, and fireworks across July 2–4, giving the city festival a range of public events beyond Galacticon’s admission structure. The Roswell listing describes those highlights. McMinnville’s 2026 lineup paired a free street fair and parade with paid speaker presentations, UFO Trivia, the Close Encounters of the 3rd Vine tasting, and the Space Alien Fun Run. Visitors could choose from public downtown events and specific ticketed activities rather than treating the festival as one all-access package. The right choice depends on the program a visitor wants: Roswell’s broader city schedule and Galacticon, or McMinnville’s downtown festivities and paid talks or activities. Visitors should not assume that either festival’s general public events include separately ticketed programming. They should check the terms for each activity they plan to attend.
Choose The Festival That Fits
If a broad city celebration matters more than attending a particular talk, Roswell may be worth considering. Visitors can consult the 2026 Roswell event listing for details of that year’s program. It can help identify public events that matched the group’s interests before anyone planned around a separately ticketed activity.
If speaker presentations and a panel are the main draw, McMinnville may be the better fit. Visitors should wait for McMenamins’ 2027 ticket details before setting a budget. McMenamins has announced the festival for May 14–15, 2027, but the 2026 pass and activity prices do not show what the next edition will cost. A useful next step is to list the talks or activities worth attending, then compare that list with the new ticket menu when it appears.
For Roswell Galacticon, visitors can check the official event page for updated admission terms rather than treating its 2026 prices as current. Which matters more for a future festival trip: wandering through public events or building the day around talks and activities?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When will McMinnville announce tickets and prices for its 2027 UFO Festival?
McMenamins has announced the 2027 festival dates, May 14–15, but the available details do not give a ticket announcement date or prices. Visitors can check McMenamins’ official festival updates for the ticket menu.
2. Can UFO festival tickets be refunded or transferred?
The available Roswell and McMinnville ticket details do not specify refund or transfer rules. Visitors should check the terms for their specific event and ticket before purchasing.
3. What parking and lodging options are available near Roswell and McMinnville festival venues?
The available festival details do not specify parking or lodging options near the Roswell or McMinnville venues. Visitors should check current city and event information when planning where to park or stay.
4. What is the largest UFO festival?
The available information does not rank UFO festivals by size, so it does not establish which one is largest. Roswell and McMinnville are distinct events with different programs and ticket arrangements.
