Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival set to launch biggest event yet on Thursday morning

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The festival officially begins on Thursday and runs through Sunday, with seven scheduled flight opportunities and two balloon glow events planned throughout the weekend.

Organizers say safety remains the top priority, and all flights will depend on weather and wind conditions.

“Safety is number one for putting on a hot air balloon festival,” Taillon said.

“We’re excited to fly and just as disappointed if we can’t fly. If we’re not flying, it’s probably for a good reason.”

Taillon says several pilots attending this year are new to the event, while returning pilots are also bringing new balloons to the festival.

“I think these are probably the most colourful balloons we’ve had,” Taillon said.

Among the returning attractions is the Aphasia Warrior balloon, which drew significant attention last year because of its message promoting aphasia awareness.

Several special-shaped balloons are attending this year, including a koala bear balloon.

Flights will launch from several sites across the city, including Kin Coulee, the Big Marble Go Centre, Echo Dale Regional Park, the cricket field on 13th Avenue and the Ross Glen Greenbelt.

Launch locations will be determined based on real-time weather conditions.

Morning flight decisions will begin around 5:30 a.m. each day, and evening flight briefings will take place around 6 p.m. If safe, flights will follow.

Balloon Glows are set for Kin Coulee Park on Friday and Saturday at about 8:30 p.m.

Organizers will livestream pilot safety meetings on social media to keep the public updated.

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(Image Credit: Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival)

Taillon says the festival hopes to continue its recent success of getting at least three of the four scheduled morning flights airborne during the weekend.

“The morning flights are usually our best window of flying with the stable winds,” Taillon said.

“If we can get three out of four morning flights, I’d be super proud and super happy.”

In addition to balloon launches, the festival’s Community Day on Saturday at Medicine Hat College will feature family activities, live entertainment, vendors and free programming. A screening of Rise Up: The Film, a documentary about last year’s event, will be shown in the College Theatre at noon, followed by a showing of Zootopia 2 at 3 p.m.

The event will also include yoga, zumba, an art party for children, a free pancake breakfast and more than 50 market vendors.

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(Image Credit: Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival)

While sponsor rides will still take place, organizers confirmed there will be no public balloon rides available this year.

Taillon says a goal of the festival is to bring the community together.

Festival updates and live streams of the morning briefings are available on the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

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READ: Medicine Hat’s hot air balloon festival 2025, in photos (May 25, 2025)

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