First hot air balloon festival coming to Echo Dale in May

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A Medicine Hat couple always dreamed of turning their hobby into a local festival and it’s about to become a reality.

Willy and Cindy Taillon of Coulee Balloon are partnering up with local nonprofit Our Collective Journey to host the Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival from May 26-29.

“The idea started with my wife and I and then we applied for a Community Vibrancy Grant,” Willy said. “With the backing of city council, they approved a portion of that grant and that got the ball rolling.”

The free festival is being held at Echo Dale and will feature 15 balloons from across the country. There will be five flights in total with take-off happening at sunrise and sunset.

A born and raised Hatter, Willy’s passion for the city is what drives him to give back. That’s why he reached out to Our Collective Journey to partner up with him for the festival.

The non-profit will host a gala on the Echo Dale lookout Friday night during the evening balloon flight. Executive director Rick Armstrong says the festival’s name, Rise Up, is very symbolic of what they do.

“It’s really exciting,” Armstrong said. “Everybody that we’ve talked to is really, really excited about it. There’s been a tremendous amount of support and interest already and I truly see this as being the first annual of several to come and only growing from here.”

The tables are $1,500 each and there are 20 available. Anyone interesting in sponsoring the event can reach out to rick@ourcollectivejourney.ca

by Teagan Rasche

First hot air balloon festival coming to Echo Dale in May

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