Llangollen balloon festival is a huge success

Sep 1 2008 By David Simister

HIGH FLYERS from across North Wales soared into the skies last weekend when one of Llangollen’s most loved festivals took off once again.

The Llangollen Balloon Festival returned to the town’s Royal International Pavilion on August 30 and 31, seeing balloons of all shapes and sizes take to the skies above Denbighshire for the 12th time in the region’s history.

"This year’s festival has been beyond my wildest expectations. I can’t believe how many people we’ve had here – during the day on Saturday we had a total of around 7,500 and by the end of the weekend we expect we’ll have had 10,000 people here" said David Green, Festival Organiser.

"The town itself was chockablock and I’m told the car parks were busier than they are during the International Musical Eisteddfod. This has been the best balloon festival, if not ever, certainly in the time that I have been organising it. It was ridiculously hectic but everything worked."

The festival, which coincided with the 225th anniversary of the first ever balloon flight by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783, saw over 20 balloons arrive from across Britain, with organisers saying that every available flight slot was used thanks to good weather over the weekend.

Among the attractions were a nightglow event to light up the Llangollen skyline, a celebration to mark the centenary of the town’s football club, and over 20 hot air balloons to make flights above the Dee Valley.

For more information check out the festival’s website at www.hotairballoonfestival.co.uk