Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic

The Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic is Decatur’s long-running spring balloon festival at Point Mallard Park, set along Flint Creek in the Tennessee River corridor near Wheeler Lake. Launched in 1978 with 17 balloonists from six states, it helped earn Decatur its designation as the Ballooning Capital of Alabama. Today you can expect about 60 balloons from roughly 20 states and a weekend crowd in the 30,000 to 50,000 range. Admission and parking are free, so you can drop in for a session or stay all day.

Plan your visit around the flight windows. Mornings deliver the most dramatic inflation and competition launches, including Saturday’s 6:30 AM Hare and Hound Race, followed by a full afternoon of festival activity before evening fun flights and tethered rides around 5:30 PM. Saturday night is the can’t-miss set piece: the Balloon Glow (about 8:15 PM) when inflated balloons stay on the field and pulse their burners in timed waves after dark.

Sunday starts early again with the 7:00 AM Lynn Layton Chevrolet Key Grab, then resets for another round of evening fun flights and tethered rides around 5:30 PM. If you want a fixed finish to build your day around, Sunday closes with fireworks at 9:30 PM. Between balloon events, you can move through the Antique Tractor Show and Parade of Power (Saturday 10:00 AM), the Auto and Motorcycle Expo, arts and crafts vendors, kid zones, and live bands that typically run 6:00 to 10:00 PM.

A little planning pays off because ballooning is weather-dependent and schedules can shift. Arrive 45 to 60 minutes before morning launches for parking flow and a front-row view of inflation, and expect long lines for free tethered rides (waiver required). Pack a light jacket for pre-sunrise starts, then sun protection for midday, plus shoes that handle wet grass and a small blanket or camp chairs for the Glow and fireworks. When we want the cleanest sightlines and the easiest exit, we set up near the launch field edge or along the water.