Northampton Balloon Festival facts for kids
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The Northampton Balloon Festival is a fun yearly event in Northampton, England. It's a special time when many colourful hot air balloons fill the sky! This festival usually happens over a weekend in mid-August. People come to see the amazing balloons take off twice a day. There's also a magical "balloon glow" at night. Besides balloons, the festival often has shops, live music, and other fun shows.
Contents
History of the Festival
Early Years and Growth
The very first Northampton Balloon Festival took place in 1989. Some of the most exciting balloons back then looked like a Chubb fire extinguisher and Rupert The Bear! In its early days, the festival was a big hit. Families loved coming to enjoy the weekend. They could watch the balloons and visit many different stalls.
In 2001, the festival joined with the Northampton Town Show. For a short time, it was called the Northampton Festival. However, it later went back to its original name.
Challenges and Changes
The festival sometimes invited famous music stars. For example, in 2004, Sugababes, Big Brovaz, and Ronan Keating performed. In 2005, the festival featured Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Rachel Stevens, and Lemar.
However, the 2007 festival faced problems. Bad weather on the last two days meant fewer people attended. Also, the council started charging adults to get in. This made many people decide not to go. The festival lost a lot of money that year.
The 2008 festival was smaller. It had fewer stalls than before. Rick Astley and Signature performed. But even with these stars, the festival still struggled. It ended up losing a lot of money again.
Moving to a New Home
Because of the money problems, the Borough Council stopped funding the festival. In 2009, new organisers stepped in to save it! They moved the festival to Billing Aquadrome. The event took place from August 14 to 16, 2009, at this new spot. The best part was that entry was free!
The 2010 Northampton Balloon Festival was also at Billing Aquadrome. This time, however, the organisers decided to charge an entry fee. The Balloon Festival happened alongside an existing American Car Show. It also offered many stalls and fun fairground rides.
In 2012, Pure Leisure, who owned Billing Aquadrome, agreed to sponsor the event for three more years. The festival continued to be held at Billing Aquadrome for several years. It took place from August 16 to 18, 2013, and then again in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Return to The Racecourse
The 2019 festival was the last one at Billing Aquadrome. The owners decided not to host it anymore. This was because bad weather had often stopped the balloons from flying in the previous two years.
In 2023, the Northampton Balloon Festival made a big return! It moved back to its original home, The Racecourse park. The Northampton Town Council now organises this exciting event.
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