Families enjoy festivities at 47th annual Alabama Jubillee

May 27—The weather was hot with mostly clear skies over the weekend at Point Mallard Park as the public enjoyed festivities at the 47th annual Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic.

Windy conditions curtailed some balloon events, including planned morning flights Saturday and Sunday, but the tethered and free-flying balloons were abundant for thousands of visitors Saturday evening.

"The thunderstorms were on the field at the time of the race," Kathy Weaver, vice president of the Jubilee, said of the canceled Hare & Hound race Saturday morning. "If the balloons get wet, they don't fly."

The weather on Saturday settled in the 80s with 56% humidity.

The afternoon flight began about 5:30 p.m. Saturday with many of the expected 51 balloons either free-flying or tethered to vehicles so visitors could get rides. The balloon glow at about 8:30 p.m. went forward as pilots illuminated their balloons with the flames from propane burners, although windy conditions made for an abbreviated show.

In addition to the balloon attractions, there was a tractor show, a car show, an arts and crafts show, and concerts scheduled later that afternoon and evening.

At the tractor show, 3-year-old Jackson Austill drove a replica of a vintage John Deere Waterloo Boy under the supervision of the tractor's owner, Larry Lemmond.

Jackson attended the Jubilee with his mother, Emily Austill, brother Shephard, and grandmother Nancy Davis.

"He just loves those tractors," Davis said of Jackson.

Davis said her family has attended the Jubilee for the last 14 or 15 years, starting when her daughter Emily was a child. Emily Austill said they look forward to it every year.

"The tractors are great and I love the balloon glow at night," she said.

"I'm a local crafter so I love the arts and crafts show they have," Davis said. "We were very impressed with the show last year. Things you just can't find ordinarily, and they make them, so they're wonderful craftsmen."

It was also the opening day for the Point Mallard Water Park. Skylar Mills, a member of the park's marketing team, said all slides and facilities were up and running and the park was fully staffed and running smoothly.

"We're so excited for this season and the many events we will have," Mills said.

Although hot air balloons were not visible until Saturday evening, children could still get balloon animals made at the waterpark by Madison resident Bobby Diamond, the owner of Balloon Masterz.

"This is my first year to have my balloons at Point Mallard," Diamond said. "Me and my wife Alyssa moved to Madison about four or five years ago from Wellington, Florida."

Diamond, who has been crafting balloons for over 40 years, said he will be at the water park most of the summer.

"We're doing a mermaid event and a Christmas in July here," Diamond said.

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