Plans are underway for the 2026 Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, and the City of Foley will once again support one of the Gulf Coast’s premier spring events.
The Foley City Council recently approved plans to provide city services for the annual festival, which will take place April 30 through May 2, 2026, at OWA Parks & Resort. During the three-day celebration, about 55 hot air balloons are expected to fill the skies over Foley and participate in the popular balloon glows at OWA.
The festival is presented by the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with OWA, with support from multiple City of Foley departments.
City Administrator Mike Thompson said the city provides a variety of in-kind services to help ensure the event runs smoothly.
“We provide support from various departments, including police, fire, streets, sanitation and parks,” Thompson said. “Those kinds of services help make the event go smoothly. We’ve been doing this for a number of years now.”
Rachel Spear, events and finance director for the South Baldwin Chamber, thanked the city for its continued partnership.
“We’re very appreciative of the city for all the support you give us to make this signature event for Foley,” Spear told council members. “There are a lot of different parts, and a lot of people come together to pull it off and make it something that people can enjoy for our community.”
Earlier this year, the City Council also approved increased funding for the festival. The additional funds will help expand marketing efforts and explore new ways to measure the event’s economic impact on Foley.
The festival continues to grow each year. In 2024, approximately 32,000 people attended, up from 25,000 the previous year. During festival weekend, restaurant revenue increased by more than 30 percent and hotel occupancy reached 95 percent, according to chamber reports.
The Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival was named Event of the Year by the Alabama Tourism Department in 2021, and the Southeast Tourism Society has also recognized the Foley festival as one of its signature events.
Residents and visitors can look forward to another weekend of colorful skies, community celebration and economic impact as the festival returns to Foley in spring 2026.