Medicine Hat hot air balloon glow event moving ahead after flights cancelled

The neon-themed dusk event will start at 8:45 p.m. at Kin Coulee Park, festival organizers confirmed.

Once onsite, pilots will make a final decision at 8:30 p.m. if it is safe to stand the balloons up, organizers say.

If it not safe, they will be pulling their baskets out and performing a candlestick with the sunset, they added.

Earlier on Friday, a hot air balloon take off planned for 6 p.m. was cancelled over high winds and stormy weather.

There will be more opportunities to catch the hot air balloons taking off this weekend.

Balloons are scheduled to take off at 6 a.m. each day from Thursday to Sunday. Evening flights are scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

The festival is also hosting a second Dusk Balloon Glow event on Saturday in Kin Coulee Park.

With a temperature high of 21 C for Saturday and a peak of 25 C for Sunday — and a clear sky forecasted for the weekend — the weather could be optimal for balloon pilots.

On Saturday, the festival is holding its Community Day activities, including a market, art party, yoga for all ages, movies and more.

The festival has taken place annually since 2021, and has grown each year with 30 balloons at this years event, up from 23 last year and 16 the first year.

— With files from Jesse Gill and Dan Reynish

by CHAT News Staff

Medicine Hat hot air balloon glow event moving ahead after flights cancelled

Our Community