Catch the Magic: Morning Flights at the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival

There’s nothing quite like the peaceful beauty of hot air balloons lifting off at dawn—and during the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, you just might catch a glimpse of that magic floating across the South Baldwin skies!

On Friday and Saturday mornings of the festival (May 2 & 3), our participating balloon pilots may launch between 6:00 and 8:00 AM from various locations around the area. These exclusive flights are not part of the public ride experience—they’re specially reserved for our sponsors and selected media personnel.

Because launch sites are determined by wind direction and other weather conditions, specific times and locations cannot be announced in advance. While we encourage everyone to enjoy the beautiful sight of balloons in the sky, we do not share exact launch locations—both for safety reasons and out of respect for private property owners.

So how can you keep up with the action?

🎙️ Tune in to WHEP Radio for Real-Time Updates

We’ve teamed up with our friends at WHEP Radio Baldwin (1310 AM / 92.5 FM) to keep the community informed. Each morning, Clark Stewart, our official festival announcer, is on-site with the balloon meister and pilots, sharing live updates as balloons prepare for takeoff and head into the sky.

• TuneIn: https://tunein.com/radio/WHEP-1310-s29278/

• WHEP online: https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/WHEP

📱 You can follow along from the comfort of your home, hotel, or wherever you may be to have an idea of where you may spot them in flight:

• Download the free WHEP Radio app on your smartphone

• Listen live online at WHEP.com

• Or tune in on the radio: 1310 AM or 92.5 FM

🚫 No Live Social Media Updates for Morning Sponsored Flights

Please note: To avoid confusion and streamline communication, we will not be sharing live morning flight updates on our social media channels. For accurate, real-time info, we encourage everyone to tune in to WHEP Radio Baldwin.