Waikato Business News | March 1, 2024
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
18 BALLOONS OVER WAIKATO<br />
MARCH <strong>2024</strong><br />
An iconic event<br />
25 year Anniversary<br />
Balloons over <strong>Waikato</strong> is into<br />
its 25th year and for General<br />
Manager Michele Connell, who<br />
has spent 20 years with the<br />
event, the growth of it has been one of<br />
the most satisfying experiences.<br />
“A early ballooning event existed prior<br />
to the Trust, but when they looked likely<br />
to fold, the Trust that runs Balloons<br />
over <strong>Waikato</strong> was created and has been<br />
responsible for the event since October<br />
1999.<br />
“We wanted to ensure the event<br />
remained in Hamilton and the trust has<br />
done an admirable job in making that<br />
happen.”<br />
It has certainly done that, becoming<br />
one of Hamilton’s most iconic annual<br />
events, featuring on average between<br />
20 to 25 balloons each year, with a<br />
variety of different events culminating<br />
in the crowd favourite, the ZURU<br />
Nightglow at Claudelands and final night<br />
Sky City Hamilton fireworks.<br />
“We even managed to keep it going<br />
through Covid which was not an easy<br />
thing to do,” Michele says.<br />
She estimates the event touches<br />
around 100,000 people.<br />
“It’s not just those who physically<br />
come and see the balloons at the<br />
various sites around the city. It’s those<br />
who see them sailing past their window,<br />
or workplace, their neighbourhood or<br />
school.<br />
“One insurer told me though, that<br />
they also have their highest incidence of<br />
nose-to-tail crashes during the week as<br />
people look out up at the sky instead of<br />
on the road!”<br />
The event has an international flavour<br />
and usually has both American and<br />
Australian pilots joining in.<br />
“Most years we would have about<br />
five Australians attending, but this<br />
year there have been some budget<br />
constraints, so we have just the<br />
Americans coming with their special<br />
shaped balloons,” Michele says.<br />
Either way, the hundreds of<br />
thousands of metres of brightly<br />
coloured materials that make up the<br />
balloons that sail the skies over <strong>Waikato</strong><br />
is always a week looked forward to by<br />
children and adults alike every autumn.<br />
$1000 Cash Grab<br />
Spectacular!<br />
Saturday 23rd <strong>March</strong>, 7am onwards<br />
Spend your Saturday morning amazed<br />
at the skills of the pilots as they attempt<br />
to win $1000 cash from the top of a pole.<br />
Visit the Radius Care tent for a free<br />
brekkie and blood pressure test.<br />
Proudly sponsored by<br />
Caring is our calling
Change language