Balloons over Waikato

So Hamilton has the reputation in Aotearoa as a bit of a backwater (i.e., think Winnipeg in Canada). This is undeserved in our view— here is some evidence…

When we first arrived, as we were eating breakfast several mornings in a row, one or two enormous hot air balloons would float over our house each day. Puzzling but pretty cool. Well it turns out that Hamilton is a mecca for balloonists and it all comes to a height (literally) each year with the international balloon festival hosted here… ‘Balloons over Waikato’ (Waikato is our region, named for the river that runs through it)… very special. 35 enormous balloons in all! 

Notice the SUV size to get a sense of the balloon size!

One of the mornings we went down before dawn and watched some of the balloons inflate on the Commons and then take off into the black skies, using their brilliant flames to shoot up heat into the balloon to warm the air, enabling the balloon to rise into the wind and float across the city. With roughly six balloons in the sky, and beautiful music playing on the Commons, the balloonists (thanks to simultaneous radio transmission) were able to synchronize their flames to go on and off with the music… a pretty spectacular sight. 

Later the shape balloons including everyone’s favourite (a Kiwi… surprise!) launched into the daylight.

                                                That is a very big tree!

The big finale of the balloon festival is the “Night Glow”. In this case twelve mega balloons are inflated silently and simultaneously taking up the while of the enormous University rugby fields. It is pitch dark as you see the balloon shadows grow up to humongous proportions and then straighten up, still tethered to the ground, with digerydoo type music surround sound (the Awakening in Maori ritual) followed by the traditional Haka (the Challenge and Welcome) with the flames blasting forth in synchronicity to the music. 

It was magic. This was followed by 20 minutes of flames shooting up to illuminate the balloons (though the music was a bit fast for the flames). It all ended with the best fireworks I have ever seen… great flowing choreography and spectacles of colours changing over time.

Attendance at the Night Glow… 95,000 people, and only a short walk from our house (thank god we did not have to drive or park). So there you go, check out Hamilton next time you are in NZ!