501st FanWars Garrison

Perfect Start Puts Balloons On High
By Belinda Feek - Waikato Times
Conditions were perfect as the Balloons Over Waikato festival was launched from Hamilton's Innes Common this morning.

The sun was yet to rise as balloonists, their crews and fans crowded the launch area, and the balloons wafted up in the cool air.

Twenty-nine balloons took to the sky. First up was Belgium's Michel Lambert, in Darth Vader, who veered towards the Waikato River.

Haunted House pilot Eduardo de Melo, of Brazil, lead the hounds further out east towards Te Kowhai. On the ground, about 500 people at Innes Common enjoyed a close-up look.

Hamilton's Dave and Debbir White and children, Kelsey, 11, and Simone, 10, have not missed one city balloon fiesta. While the girls were keen to check out the Haunted House, Mr White had his own favourite. "Darth Vader. I like anything spacey." Mrs White liked "seeing them all go up."

Three generations of Harrises watched the balloons rise. Huntly's Annette Harris was with her two grandchildren, Jessica, 11, and Hamish, 8, and their parents Adam and Phillipa Tapp. Mrs Harris said the festival had been a family event for years. "We've been bringing them (grandchildren) since they were in prams." Jessica looked forward to seeing the Darth Vader and Haunted House balloons. Hamish agreed, but was also a Hamilton balloon fan. "He (the pilot) flies over the house all the time." Hamish said.

As the sun rose over the Waikato hills, Mrs Harris was looking forward to a great spectacle. "It's going to be perfect."

From the Egg-A-Day balloons basket, the sight was memorable. Out east, early morning fog was lifting. As we headed towards the Waikato River, residents getting ready for the day ran out on to driveways and balconies or gave a friendly wave from the comfort of warm homes.

One couple was spotted scampering around a bedroom, donning clothes.

Keen golfers and staff at the Hamilton Golf Club, in St Andrews, received a hole-in-one with a difference - we landed on Hole 2. Golf club member Bernie Thomas ran over to take a picture and got a quick run in the balloon before it was all packed up and Egg-A-Day pilot Rick Walczack prepared for the fiesta's next adventure.

Darth Vader's in town
Waikato Times | Friday, 11 April 2008


He may have battled the force and Luke Skywalker in the past, but it was nature that toppled Darth Vader yesterday. The 21m-high balloon from Belgium, pictured above, a feature attraction of this year's Balloons Over Waikato festival, had hundreds of fans in awe when it came to Forest Lake Primary School in Hamilton.


Unfortunately for fans of Vader, his grand entrance was deflated by a gust of wind.

This year's balloon festival continues tonight with the Hirequip Balloomin' Madness Parade down Victoria St ahead of tomorrow night's NightGlow at Waikato University. On Sunday balloonists will test their sporting skills in the Sunday Sport Morning, to round off the annual event.