Festival de la gourgane d’Albanel

Did you know that we even travel all the way to the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region?

Every year for several years now, we’ve spent the last weekend of July at the Gourgane Festival in the small town of Albanel, just outside Normandin. As always, it’s a pleasure to get together with a few fellow balloonists to be part of this unifying, family-friendly, authentic festival and to be welcomed so warmly by the organizers and, above all, by all the locals.

The festival offers hot air balloon rides twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening—weather permitting, of course. If flying conditions are more optimal and safer outside the official festival site, we’ll relocate to another location to ensure a safe takeoff and a better flight path.

In addition to hot-air balloon rides, we even host magical evening events right on the festival grounds, where our balloons are inflated but tethered to the ground, glowing like giant lanterns. This really adds a magical touch to these evenings!

Aside from the hot air balloons, the festival—which is located next to the local campground, which has a pool and a mini-putt course—also offers several daytime activities as well as evening shows to entertain, amuse, and bring together both kids and adults. Mud drag races are very popular, as is the slow-pitch softball tournament, but my 10-year-old son’s favorite activity… wrestling!
Not to mention the festival’s official bus!!! Nothing compares to this icon: a classic, a must-see! This green bus, decked out in the Gourgane Festival colors, crisscrosses the neighborhood streets with its open roof and theme song blaring from the speakers at full volume… trust us, it’s a must-see. It’s impossible to get the kids off it—they love it!! Where are the kids?
On the bus!

During the festival, one of our favorite family activities is sampling the Gourgane Soup Contest!! Don’t know what a gourgane is? You’ll have to come to Albanel to find out 🙂