York Balloon Fiesta would have gone ahead this weekend – if events hadn’t intervened.
But the high-flying fun hasn’t been cancelled, merely postponed. And today organisers announced the dates for a rescheduled festival which is bigger and better than before.
York Balloon Fiesta 2021 will be extended to a four-day event, taking place from Friday, 28 May to Monday, 31 May 2021 at Knavesmire.
In 2019, the then three-day fiesta attracted 35,000 people. By moving it from September to the spring May bank holiday weekend, and adding a day, the team hope to attract 50,000 people next year – “possibly making the York Balloon Fiesta the city’s first major event in 2021”.
Event organiser, John Lowery, said: “We are looking forward to moving the event to May which will hopefully allow us to attract larger balloons and get better weather after the poor weather in 2019.
“As we keep improving the event it is our aim to become the UK’s biggest balloon fiesta within the next ten years.”
New features
Launched in 2017, the York Balloon Fiesta is now Yorkshire’s largest hot air balloon festival and attracts over 50 balloonists from all over the UK. ,
It is also York’s largest free-entry event.
New for the 2021 fiesta will be a large-scale firework and laser display, created to celebrate the work of key workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy the popular hot air balloon night glows, a funfair that includes the world’s longest continuous inflatable assault course, a birds of prey show, children’s activities and entertainment, and live music from the main stage.
Businesses can also get involved in the fiesta with many sponsorship opportunities available and organisers are keen to speak about partnerships.
John Lowery said “We thank Talk Talk for their sponsorship over the last couple of years and are now looking for a headline sponsor to replace them as they move their budgets to other cities.
“Theirs and future sponsorship help keep the event free entry for the public.”
Find out more on the website.