It's All On - Lift Off Levin 2011

The Horowhenua Balloon Society, with the invaluable assistance of the Horowhenua Community Trust and the Horowhenua District Council, would like to take the opportunity to announce the events of the 2011 Lift Off Levin Festival of Ballooning, being held over the Easter Weekend of April 21 – 25 in Levin. The centerpiece of the event for the public is of course the free Balloon Glow, being held in a new location this year, at Donnelly Park in Levin (map) between 3 and 7pm on the evening of Saturday April 23. The new location allows pilots more scope for flying in and out of the venue in the late afternoon, before returning for a spectacular glow at sunset, with their burners lighting up the night sky in a choreographed display.

A highlight for balloonists will be competing in some new and interesting flying challenges in Levin’s unique microclimate. Balloonmeister Denis Hall, with over 25 years of ballooning experience, is renowned for setting tasks that challenge up-and-coming pilots, as well as intriguing some of the old hands in the sport. “I originally started Lift Off Levin in 2005 (with a grant from the Horowhenua District Council) to be an event for balloonists, by balloonists - a fun event without the pressures of the larger fiestas” says Denis. “That the Horowhenua community values the event so highly and we are able to bring it to them free of charge are bonuses really. Pilots and their families return here year after year because they enjoy the real community feel of the event.”

A new challenge for balloonists this year is an event simply called Skittles! where pilots use their skills and baskets a few feet off the ground to knock over as many oversized pins as they can. This event is scheduled for the morning of Easter Saturday in Donnelly Park, but, as with any ballooning event, may be rescheduled or relocated due to weather conditions.

Making a welcome return this year also is the Second Annual Lake Horowhenua Balloon Regatta and Splash n’ Dash, a spectacular event for those that were there to see it as the balloons made multiple passes over Lake Horowhenua en masse, towing small boats to see who could stay on the water longest. Like most balloon flying events, to catch this one requires an early start, with the first balloons expected over the lake at about 7:15am on the morning of Sunday April 24. Evening flights are also scheduled for the event, but these are more generally affected than the calmer-weather morning flights and tend to be much shorter when they do occur.

The event will round off on ANZAC Day morning, with organizers looking for a suitable way to commemorate the day on a morning flight. For updates on the event, check the website at www.liftofflevin.org.nz or join us on Facebook or Twitter. For more information on the event or flights, contact the balloonmeister Denis Hall on 0299737733.