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Author: Positively Decatur

Decatur is Positively Soaring at the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic!


Decatur is Positively Soaring at the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic!

By: Lillie Beth Warner, Communications Director, Decatur Morgan County Tourism

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The Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic is a one-of-a-kind event that takes place every year in Decatur, Alabama, at Point Mallard Park. The event has been held annually since 1978 and has become one of the most popular hot air balloon festivals in the country, attracting thousands of visitors from near and far.

The history of the festival traces back to a few years prior to 1978 when the City of Decatur purchased its own hot air balloon. Three pilots were trained to fly the city’s balloon, and it wasn’t long before those pilots united with other nearby balloonists to bring the energy and competition of a balloon rally to Decatur. Today, the City of Decatur has been designated as the “Ballooning Capital of Alabama!”

At the festival, you can witness the spectacle of hot air balloons taking flight against the backdrop of the beautiful Alabama skies. With dozens of colorful hot air balloons taking to the sky, it is a breathtaking view that is not to be missed. The sight can be seen from the Point Mallard field as well as from above the surrounding areas.

The Hare & Hound and Lynn Layton Key Grab add a spirit of competition to the festival as balloon pilots complete competition tasks. In the Hare & Hound, balloons compete to see who can drop a marker closest to a target on the ground, while in the Key Grab, they navigate away from and back to a predetermined location, attempting to grab a ring from the top of a tall pole.


In the evening, balloons are tethered to the ground and lit up in a stunning visual display. Plus, a fireworks show ends the festival with a bang!

The event offers even more to enjoy beyond balloon flights, too. With live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and inflatables for kids, there is something for everyone. There are even tethered balloon rides available for those who want to experience the thrill of being up in the air without actually leaving the ground.

The 2023 Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic will take place over Memorial Day weekend on May 27 and May 28. If you’re planning to attend the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic, remember that the event is held outdoors, so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather. Additionally, know that parking can be tricky, so plan to arrive early and prepare for crowds.

Overall, the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic is a fun and exciting event for visitors of all ages. With its stunning visual displays, live entertainment, and variety of activities, it’s no wonder why the festival has become such a popular event to kick off summer in Alabama and beyond.



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Hot Air Balloon Jubilee Classic Returns to Decatur (2022) – Video courtesy of WHNT News 19


Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival | This is Alabama – Video courtesy of This is Alabama


Show 525A – Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic on Simply Southern Video courtesy of Simply Southern

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The #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors Are Your Local Guides to Decatur and Beyond


The #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors Are Your Local Guides to Decatur and Beyond

By: Lillie Beth Warner, Communications Director, Decatur Morgan County Tourism

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Have you met the new #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors? Decatur Morgan County Tourism (DMCT) has launched an ambassador program featuring local photographers, influencers, and travel writers to showcase Decatur and its surrounding areas.

These ambassadors will share the city from the “local’s perspective,” revealing and exploring all sorts of fun things to do in Decatur.

The #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors have been selected through an application process and review of each ambassador’s unique influence. They are located across Morgan County and come from all walks of life, including adventurers, photographers, kayaking enthusiasts, parents, and much more.

Danielle Gibson, President/CEO of Decatur Morgan County Tourism, shares, “A #VisitDecaturAL Ambassador is someone who represents Decatur and Morgan County well through their photos on social media. It’s someone who explores, seeks adventure, captures the beauty of Decatur and Morgan County, and shares it with the rest of us. It’s someone who ultimately makes us want to go out and explore for ourselves.”

According to Gibson, these ambassadors will work with DMCT to help inspire and motivate locals and visitors through social media, on the DMCT blog, and in their communities.

Whether you want to find the best places to eat or a fun spot to take the family, the #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors know it all.

The #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors have been selected through an application process and review of each ambassador’s unique influence. They are located across Morgan County and come from all walks of life, including adventurers, photographers, kayaking enthusiasts, parents, and much more.

Danielle Gibson, President/CEO of Decatur Morgan County Tourism, shares, “A #VisitDecaturAL Ambassador is someone who represents Decatur and Morgan County well through their photos on social media. It’s someone who explores, seeks adventure, captures the beauty of Decatur and Morgan County, and shares it with the rest of us. It’s someone who ultimately makes us want to go out and explore for ourselves.”

According to Gibson, these ambassadors will work with DMCT to help inspire and motivate locals and visitors through social media, on the DMCT blog, and in their communities.

Meet the 2023 #VisitDecaturAL Ambassadors!

  • Chelsea Webster

    Chelsea is from New Market, Alabama. She works as a program manager for a DoD company in Huntsville. In her free time, she enjoys fishing, boating, and hanging out with her four pups.

  • Cheyenne Sanchez

    Cheyenne Sanchez: Cheyenne was born and raised in Decatur, Alabama. Cheyenne is a community educator for Affinity Hospice and is actively involved in her church worship and outreach ministries. She is also the president and co-founder of Young Professionals of Decatur. She is passionate about helping people find their purpose and impacting her community.

  • Connie Pearson

    Connie is a freelance travel/food writer and blogger with her own website, There Goes Connie. She and her veterinarian husband, Steve, live in Hartselle, Alabama, and share 14 fantastic grandchildren. Connie loves discovering the restaurants, history, culture, art, music, and accommodations of the places where she travels that reflect the uniqueness of the destination. 

  • Dan Truitt

    Dan was born and raised in Decatur, Alabama. He is employed as a software developer by the Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Inc., in Decatur, where he has worked for the past 14 years. Besides kayaking, he likes to stay active with his church by teaching classes.

  • Gina Panattoni

    Gina was born in Illinois, but her family moved to North Alabama when she was just 3 months old. She moved to Decatur in the early ’90s and has called it home ever since. Gina participates in multiple hiking challenges throughout the year. Whether she’s hiking, kayaking, backpacking, or biking, you’ll usually find Gina outside with a camera in hand.

  • Glenn Mitchell

    Glenn is a native of Los Angeles, California, but has called North Alabama her home for the past 30 years. She has owned several small businesses in the area, including her current salon and photography studio in downtown Decatur. She is the founder and curator of The Chasing Art Project, a street art project launched in Decatur.

  • Hillary Borden

    Hillary is a Realtor with RealtySouth. She also assists with events at the Cook Museum of Natural Science. Hillary has lived in Decatur since 2016 with her husband, son, and daughter. They are always out and about enjoying the Tennessee Valley area, whether kayaking, hiking, or volunteering in the local community.

  • Jennifer Brown

    Jennifer is a native of Detroit and moved to Alabama in 2007. She currently works at St. Ann Catholic School as a business administrator and art teacher. In her free time, Jennifer loves traveling, hiking, kayaking, biking, attending concerts, cooking, photography, and, most of all, spending time with her children.

  • Jonte Swope

    Jonte is a commercial editorial, lifestyle, fashion, and concert photographer based in Nashville, Tennessee, and Northern Alabama (Decatur, Huntsville, Athens). He offers images for artists, couples, seniors, and families, as well as live events. With a photojournalistic approach, he is able to capture the personality of his subjects through their beauty. He has always lived by the saying: Capturing life…as it happens.

  • Keilee Terry

    Keilee is a small business owner, content creator, Assistant Children’s Director at The Church at Stone River, and Social Media Manager for Decatur Morgan County Tourism. As a lifelong Decatur resident, she loves this city and serving her community. Keilee especially loves Decatur’s rich history, diversity, and appreciation for the arts.

To learn more about the #VisitDecaturAL Ambassador program and discover how to become an ambassador, visit the Decatur Morgan County Tourism website.


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Find your flow in Decatur – Video courtesy of Decatur Morgan County Tourism


i don’t want summer to end… – Video courtesy of @jonteswoope on Instagram

There are so many AWESOME things to do in Decatur! – Video courtesy of @keileet on Instagram

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Carnegie Carnival Is Positively Fun!

In 2012, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center presented Decatur’s first Mardi Gras-style celebration with the “Carnegie Carnival.” Charter members created a season that spans from Carnival Petition to the King and Queen to open the royal season to Twelfth Night in January to candidate events and culminates with the Carnegie Carnival parades, always held on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday.

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The Jones Family Is Positively Loving Decatur!

All of my travels, far and wide, finally led me back to North Alabama, where I belong. It’s here in Decatur that my wife from Arizona and my kids from California have finally found their roots. Decatur, Alabama, is our home now, and we positively love it.

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River Clay Fine Arts Festival Is Positively Educational!


River Clay Fine Arts Festival is Positively Educational!

The Positively Decatur team is please to have Stevi Price, the immediate past president of the River Clay Fine Arts board of directors, share her perspective as an educator.

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The River Clay Fine Arts Festival (RCFAF) has evolved into an amazing arts centered event in Decatur, AL! RCFAF brings together people from across the region to celebrate visual arts in all its forms.

The juried fine arts festival includes an artist market featuring local and national artists, children’s art activities, student art exhibits and much, much more.

In addition to experienced artists, the festival celebrates up-and-coming artists from local schools. This year we were pleased to provide $7,500 worth of funding towards art initiatives within districts, public and private, throughout Decatur City and Morgan County. This is made available through an annual grant opportunity provided to our local art teachers.

“We are teaching the kids about this. They are going to remember, Decatur has always had River Clay!” – Mary H. Reed, Artist Liaison

In recent years we have had the opportunity to fund a wide variety of visual arts projects including stained glass, photography, pottery, a natural dye garden and more. The RCFAF grants provide a new and exciting way for our students to experience art and its diverse mediums. We celebrate these teachers and appreciate the work they do to cultivate tomorrow’s artists!


Stevi Price

Executive Director | Decatur City Schools Foundation

Stevi Price, of Decatur, AL, is the executive director of the Decatur City Schools Foundation
(DCSF). She earned a B.S. in business administration from the University of Alabama in May of
2006. Upon graduation, she interned with Southern Living at Home and then began her
nonprofit career as an executive director for another local nonprofit. In March of 2013, Stevi
started working for DCSF and was later promoted to executive director.

Stevi serves as the Immediate Past President of the River Clay Fine Arts Foundation, Vice
President of the Decatur Youth Symphony, committee member of the Best & Brightest Initiative
and has co-chaired multiple committees for the Decatur-Morgan Hospital Foundation Guild. She
was recognized as the Associated Builders and Contractors of North Alabama’s 2016 and 2017
Excellence in Marketing Award Winner for project submissions on behalf of her husband Brandon’s
company. Stevi and Brandon stay busy raising their two children and enjoy all things outdoors!

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¡El Día de los Muertos Es Positivamente Tradicional!

La Cuidad de Decatur en Alabama se complace en anunciar que este año inauguramos la Celebración del Dia de Muertos. Dia de Muertos, también conocido como el día de Las Almas, es un día festivo mexicano donde las familias le dan la bienvenida a las almas de sus seres queridos fallecidos para una reunión breve que incluye comida, bebidas y celebración.

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Día de los Muertos Is Positively Traditional!

The City of Decatur, Ala. is pleased to announce its inaugural Día de los Muertos celebration! Día de los Muertos, also known as “The Day of The Dead” or “All Souls Day,” is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration.

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Carson Campbell Is Positively Talented!

Carnegie Hall in New York is one of the most sought-after venues for performers worldwide, and Decatur's own Carson Campbell earned that honor! Carson is a highly talented pianist who won this prestigious opportunity through a competition hosted by the Gulf Coast Steinway Society.

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