Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival 2026 Schedule + Balloon Ride Pricing
Guide Sponsor
This guide is proudly sponsored by Aura Adventures at OWA, where you can kayak or pedalboat in the glow of the hot air balloons for one of the most unique experiences of the festival.
If you’re planning to attend the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival at OWA, this is the breakdown you’re actually looking for.
This guide covers the full daily schedule, balloon glow times, drone shows, and exactly how the tethered balloon rides work including pricing.
For a full overview of the event, use this guide:
https://www.mustdopensacola.com/news/gulf-coast-hot-air-balloon-festival-2026
Festival dates and location
Dates: April 30 – May 2, 2026
Location: OWA Parks & Resort (Foley, AL)
Admission: Free to attend
Full Schedule
Thursday April 30 schedule
4:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Festival open
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Yeah Probably (OWA Amphitheater)
7:00 PM – 7:35 PM: K9 Frisbee Dog Show
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Justin Jeansonne (OWA Amphitheater)
7:30 PM: Balloon Glow (weather permitting) (book a glowing kayak or pedal boat)
Friday May 1 schedule
4:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Festival open
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Shrimp Shack Shooters
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Meet & Greet
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Interactive Balloon Display
5:00 PM – 5:35 PM: K9 Frisbee Dog Show
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Renee Amelia
7:00 PM – 7:35 PM: K9 Frisbee Dog Show )
7:30 PM: Tethered rides + Balloon Glow (book a glowing kayak or pedal boat)
7:30 PM – 9:15 PM: The M-80’s
9:15 PM: Drone Show (book a glowing kayak or pedal boat)
Saturday May 2 schedule
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM: Festival open
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Zoo Meet & Greet
11:30 AM – 12:05 PM: K9 Frisbee Dog Show
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Symone French
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Pilot Meet & Greet
3:00 PM – 3:35 PM: K9 Frisbee Dog Show
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Interactive Balloon Display
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM: JB Dyess Trio
6:30 PM – 7:05 PM: K9 Frisbee Dog Show
7:30 PM: Tethered rides + Balloon Glow (book a glowing kayak or pedal boat)
7:00 PM – 9:15 PM: The Molly Ringwalds
9:15 PM: Drone Show (book a glowing kayak or pedal boat)
Hot air balloon rides (pricing and how it works)
Tethered balloon rides are one of the most popular parts of the festival.
Here’s exactly how they work:
Balloons rise 30–40 feet in the air while secured to the ground
Rides take place Friday and Saturday evenings only
Weather dependent
Pricing
Adults: $25
Children (12 and under): $20
Important details
Tickets are sold on site only
Sales typically begin around 5:00 PM
Located at the Tethered Ride Ticket Tent
Non-refundable and non-transferable
All riders must sign a waiver
Balloon glow and drone shows
The biggest moments each night are the balloon glow and drone shows.
Balloon Glow: 7:30 PM (all three nights, weather permitting)
Drone Show: Friday and Saturday at 9:15 PM
The drone show is one of the newer additions and has quickly become one of the most talked-about parts of the event.
Glow kayaking and pedal boats during the festival
One of the most unique ways to experience the festival isn’t from the ground.
Aura Adventures operates glowing kayaks and pedal boats on the water at OWA during the event.
From the water, you get a completely different view of:
The balloon glow lighting up the sky
Reflections across the lake
The drone show overhead
It’s the only setup in the country where you can be on the water during a balloon glow, which makes it stand out from the typical festival experience.
Learn more here:
https://www.goauraadventures.com/
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