Rise up to great heights!

May 25 - 28, 2023

It's BACK for another uplifting year! Hot air balloon pilots from across Canada are taking to the skies over Medicine Hat to raise awareness about how we can work collectively to enhance mental wellness and rise to great heights together.  Stay tuned for info about this year's event!

A magical event

Just one hot air balloon in the sky creates quite the buzz in a community, now imagine 19 of them! This event is magical, there is no better word to describe it!

19 balloons take flight

19 pilots from all over Canada are registered to attend the 2nd Annual Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival on May 25-28. The pilots come from all over Canada to fly their majestic balloons.

Rise to great heights!

The annual Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival is meant to help raise awareness in our area, and beyond, on how we can work collectively to enhance mental wellness while rising to great heights together.
Cindy and Willy Taillon - Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival

What is "Rise Up"?

The Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival is a joint partnership between Willy and Cindy Taillon and Our Collective Journey.

After Willy’s first experience in a hot air balloon, he fell in love with the magic of the ride and decided to become a pilot. After attending his first hot air balloon festival he realized how “uplifting” it felt to be in a setting that brought such joy. After that experience he and Cindy decided to bring a similar festival to Medicine Hat so their community could feel the same joy.

With the understanding of what they wanted to accomplish, Cindy and Willy looked for the right partner. Our Collective Journey was selected to help ensure this event was uplifting in more ways than one.

Don’t miss the Glow Event!

The  Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival is a family friendly event that will bring the community together at no cost to witness balloons soaring over our beautiful landscape in Medicine Hat and surrounding area. There are five flight times scheduled over the four days (weather permitting) and on the Saturday, May 27, 2023 the Glow Event is scheduled!

During the Glow Event time slot, the hot air balloons will be tethered to the ground at sunset. Propane burners are ignited periodically to keep them inflated, illuminating the balloons and showcasing their beauty. At this time, spectators will have a chance to mingle and see the balloons up close.

Check our this Year's Event Schedule (so far)

Contact us

If you have questions about the event or sponsorships, please contact us!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.