The Rise Up Hot Air Balloon Festival is a free, family‑friendly annual spring event in Medicine Hat that fills the skies with dozens of colourful hot air balloons as they lift off across the city at sunrise and sunset, offering a stunning and uplifting experience for the whole community. Hosted each May in partnership with the non‑profit Our Collective Journey, the festival celebrates community, connection, and hope while bringing people together to enjoy balloon flights, Balloon Glow events where balloons are illuminated at dusk, and a full Community Day featuring markets, food trucks, kids’ activities, art, and more. Beyond its visual spectacle, Rise Up also reflects the festival’s deeper purpose of inspiring positivity and resilience among attendees.
