Weather clears for annual Balloons over Waikato launch

It was an early start at Innes Common this morning for those attending the annual Hamilton balloon mass ascension.

Showers threatened take-off, worrying the hundreds who made the effort to attend.

Steve Shepherd, who had brought along his children Jonathon and Rose, hoped for the best.

“I hope it [the bad weather] will blow away,” Shepherd said.

“I think it’s quite a spectacular event, the children really love it,” he said.

The weather cleared up and the balloons were up and away, with the five special-shaped balloons stealing the show.

Brittany Pizzuli, a 22-year-old tourist from Cleveland, US, said her favourite balloon was the special shaped copter-boy, resembling a cartoon helicopter.

“At first I thought it was going to be Captain America but then I saw it and I’m like, that doesn’t make sense here!” Pizzuli said.

Pizzuli drove down from Auckland at 4.40 this morning with her two cousins who both attended in their pajamas.

“I love it here… at first I was underwhelmed because all I could see was the two balloons. And then once they started they were like popping up everywhere and I was like wow,” Pizzuli said.

Hamilton Mayor Andrew King also attended and scored a ride in the Big Hugs special shaped balloon that says “Wake up and live. Peace.”

But King’s favourite is the veteran Hamilton balloon.

“The one with Hamilton written on it,” King said.

“It’s just such a good thing for Hamilton.”

King attended the Hamilton balloons over the years when his children Sarah, Malcolm, and Josh were younger.

“It’s just a magical excitement of a balloon hanging in the sky,” King said.

“It’s almost fairy tale stuff.”

A highlight of the festival is the night-glow, which is set for this Saturday night at the Waikato University campus. 

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