Hamiltonians will wake to colourful hot air balloons flying above the city again next week, as the Balloons Over Waikato festival celebrates its first post Covid-19 lift-off on Tuesday, March 14.
With 24 balloons set to shape up, including two with special shapes, the festival organisers say there are more balloons than ever before.
To set the mood for the big week ahead, a ‘walk-thru’ balloon will be in Garden Place in Hamilton’s CBD on Saturday, March 11, with live music, games and Enchanted Entertainment Characters for the little ones.
The theme for this year is ‘Welcome Back’, as the event will literally welcome back international balloonists and the public, inviting them to enjoy the festival after it was cancelled and restricted in recent years due to Covid-19.
Apart from the daily morning lift-off from Innes Common at Hamilton Lake, there will be lots to see and do as the balloons also return to Waipā, and the Basket Burn, walk-thru balloon and Nightglow are back on as well.
The balloons, including Tico the Sloth and Tiger, will visit Waipā's Mighty River Domain at Lake Karāpiro again on March 17, six years after its first visit in 2018.
Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan is excited about the return of the balloons and encourages residents to go along with a picnic and enjoy the live band, food trucks and, of course, the balloons.
Tico the Sloth and Tiger are the two special-shape balloons set to brighten up the sky over Waikato.
“It’s an exciting, free event to enjoy. Having these spectacular hot air balloons in our own backyard is really special and makes it so much more accessible for families to attend.”
Also on March 17, from 6pm at The Base, Te Rapa, will be the Basket Burn. Come for dinner, and enjoy live music from The Monroes as they accompany the hot and fiery basket burn from 7pm.
People eagerly awaiting the festival’s grand finale, the Zuru Nightglow, will need to be prepared for some changes as the event will return to a new venue, the Claudelands Oval, where it was first held.
While the Nightglow remains free, the organisers had to ticket the event and there are currently no more tickets available. However, people still wanting to attend can put their names on a waitlist.
“We apologise we cannot facilitate everyone who wants to come this year, but never fear, you won’t miss out totally… we are live-streaming this spectacular Glow Show, so you can still enjoy from the comfort of your home,” the organisers say.
The Zuru Nightglow in Hamilton will be held at Claudelands Oval this year. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
The Nightglow, kicking off on March 18 at 5pm, promises four hours of live entertainment, carnival rides and games, food trucks, and the annual orchestrated hot air balloon glow, which will light up the night sky and culminate in the SkyCity Hamilton Fireworks Extravaganza.
The 24 balloons attending will be flown by pilots from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and all around New Zealand.
Tico the Sloth and Tiger are the two special-shape balloons, coming all the way from upstate New York in the US. There will also be a few “cloud-hoppers”, small, one-person hot air balloons, as well as lots of colourful balloons and balloons with different designs.
To see the whole schedule of events and to put your name on the waitlist for the Nightglow, visit the Balloons Over Waikato website.
Balloons Over Waikato has delighted the region since 1999 and was voted Best Waikato Event six times, as well asBest Community Event in New Zealand at the NZEAP Awards.
