Balloons over Waikato facts for kids
Balloons over Waikato is an exciting yearly hot air balloon festival. It takes place in Hamilton, New Zealand. This fun event has been happening since 1999. A group called the Balloons over Waikato Trust organizes it.
The festival lasts for five days each autumn. It brings together balloon pilots from New Zealand and other countries. The main spot for the festival is Innes Common, near Hamilton Lake. About 130,000 people visit this area during the festival.
A super popular part of the festival is the "Nightglow". This amazing show happens at the University of Waikato. Over 80,000 people come to watch. They see the balloons light up like giant lanterns. It's a spectacular show set to music!
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Exciting Events at the Festival
The Balloons over Waikato festival has many cool events. Here are some of the main ones:
- Sunrise and Sunset Flights: You can watch balloons take off early in the morning or as the sun goes down.
- Balloon Basket Glow: In the city's Garden Place, balloon baskets light up. It's like a mini-Nightglow in the city!
- The Nightglow: This is the biggest event. Balloons glow brightly to music at night.
- Key Grab Competition: Balloon pilots try to grab a key from a tall pole. This happens at Innes Common.
- Dawn Patrol: A few balloons inflate and lift off before sunrise. They create a magical glow in the sky.
Daily Festival Schedule
Here's a look at what usually happens each day:
- Day 1: The Mass Ascension (many balloons take off together), Afternoon Flight.
- Day 2: Dawn Patrol, Breakfast as Dawn (you can eat while watching balloons), Afternoon Flight.
- Day 3: Morning Flight, School Hop (balloons visit schools), City Burn (balloons light up in the city).
- Day 4: Cash Grab (another fun competition), Nightglow.
- Day 5: Final Morning Flight.
History of Balloons over Waikato
The Balloons over Waikato festival has a proud history.
- In 2008, it won "Best Not for Profit" at the Westpac Business Excellence Awards. This means it was recognized as a great non-profit organization.
- In 2014, free bus rides were offered for the Nightglow. This made it easier for everyone to attend.
- In 2015, the festival won "Best Established Community Event." This award was from the New Zealand Association of Event Professionals.
- In 2017, there was an exciting moment when a hot air balloon landed safely in a Hamilton intersection.
- The event celebrated its 20th birthday in 2019. The City Burn event was a big highlight that summer.
- In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nightglow couldn't happen. It was the first time in 21 years! However, the morning shows at Innes Common still went on, but without a crowd.
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