Images are unavailable offline.

A balloon flies over the town of High River at the Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival in High River, Alta. on Sept. 24, 2021.

Gavin John/The Globe and Mail

The Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival, in High River, Alta. is Western Canada’s largest balloon festival and featured 23 balloons from across the country, plus one each from the U.S. and Belgium. The five-day festival is in its ninth year.

Images are unavailable offline.

Balloon pilot Shane Lockyer fires hot air into his balloon.

Gavin John/The Globe and Mail

Images are unavailable offline.

The first balloon rises as the festival's participants set off on Sept. 24.

Gavin John/The Globe and Mail

Images are unavailable offline.

A man unfurls a balloon for the festival, which featured 23 balloons from across the country with one balloon from the United States and one from Belgium.

Gavin John/The Globe and Mail

Images are unavailable offline.

Emma Lockyer helps deflate her balloon after landing outside High River.

Gavin John/The Globe and Mail

Images are unavailable offline.

Spectators take photos of balloons coming in for a landing outside High River.

Gavin John/The Globe and Mail

Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.