Waikato Balloon festival, Hamilton

Waikato, New Zealand. April 9, 2008 20th anniversary of Balloons over Waikato festival Starts
The 20th annual “Balloon over Waikato festival” starts in Hamilton Lake in the Waikato region of New Zealand that is termed as the Ballooning capital of New Zealand. The festival that ends on April 13, 2008 is set to attract visitors and tourists from across the world mainly from United States. As a part of the 20th anniversary celebrations six Australian balloonists and an American pilot would be travelling to New Zealand to participate in the event as per the information provided by “Balloons over Waikato Charitable Trust”. Besides balloons from across the world is set to come. Waikato0
Other attraction during the festival would be two new balloons named Darth Vader Balloon from Belgium and Nightmare House from Brazil. The Festival is set to attract an estimated 100,000 visitors.
Flight paths would over the picturesque Waikato River which is the longest river in New Zealand and farming land near the river. The cost of the Balloon ride ranges from NZ$230 – NS $275 for a flight and the ride lasts for one hour. The festival begins with mass ascents in the early morning. The tourist from across the world would enjoy five days of entertainments, dances, concerts, musical performances and a big street parade, in and around Waikato.
The annual Balloons over Waikato festival got started in 1988 and then the Wairarapa International Balloon Fiesta had been a regular event in Hamilton from 1999. The sport of ballooning in New Zealand is governed by Civil Aviation Authority regulations and co-ordinated by the Balloon Association of New Zealand.