Spoilers ahead for the Season 13 finale of When Calls the Heart!
Season 13 of When Calls the Heart has officially come and gone on the 2026 TV schedule. Sunday’s finale saw some big emotions and surprises, but that’s not all that has been grabbing fans’ attention. After the Hallmark series found itself in the middle of “balloongate,” star Erin Krakow explained what really happened.
The Season 13 finale included a fun balloon release as part of Hope Valley’s Harvest Festival just before the Benson Hills folk finally return to their town. There were a lot of balloons used for the scene, and people probably had some concerns when it came to the environment. The type of balloons that were used, what they would do if they lost some, etc. Luckily, while doing her weekly #SPS (Sneak Peek Sunday) series on Instagram before new episodes, Krakow broke down just how environmentally friendly they were:
While some may not even think about these kinds of things at first, when it comes to releasing balloons, because you just think about how cool or fun it looks, it’s definitely something important to think about. Since they used a lot of balloons for the scene, it’s nice knowing that the environment was at the top of the priority list. Everyone taking multiple precautions to make sure that the environment was safe just makes me love When Calls the Heart even more.
Plenty of people in the comments were also very happy about the precautions taken, with fans saying how wonderful it is that they were thinking about the environment and wildlife. One was also saying that they were concerned when they saw the amount of balloons before reading Krakow’s caption, proving that a few extra steps make all the difference.
Those concerned about more balloons potentially harming the environment, When Calls the Heart is officially on break until 2027. But there will be much to look forward to, whether balloons are involved or not. After an excruciatingly long wait, Nathan and Elizabeth are engaged, and fans got their first look at Lori Loughlin as Abigail Stanton once again. She appeared in the final seconds of the finale, with Abigail returning to Hope Valley for the first time since she was written out midway through Season 6 due to Loughlin’s involvement with the College Admissions Scandal.
There will be plenty more behind-the-scenes stories and on-screen stories to come, and the wait will be worth it. When Calls the Heart Season 14 will be coming to Hallmark Channel in 2027, but all seasons are streaming on Hallmark+. Fans can also watch the first episode of new prequel series Hope Valley: 1874 on Hallmark+, where new episodes will premiere on Thursdays.
