New Venue for 2014 Philippines Balloon Fest

Its been on and off and rescued and rejected several times but it now looks like the 2014 Philippines International Balloon Festival might finally have a home, and just in the nick of time.

Readers of ballonteam.net will have seen last week that Clark International Airport was abandoned as a possible venue owing to “operational reasons”. This situation has now been clarified by a statement by Noel Castro, chair of the newly established Pilipinas International Balloon Festival, Inc. which will henceforth manage and operate this year’s ballooning event and future events as well.

“We decided to transfer the venue in view of the air traffic situation in aviation-related activities at the Clark International Airport where around 10 international and domestic airlines now operate and flying in and out from various destinations around the world. Flying hot-air balloons at an altitude of 4,000 feet may inconvenience airlines especially if launched during peak hours, thus the decision to move out of the 25-km no-fly zone for balloons,”

Yesterday it was announced that Lubao town in Pampanga will now host the 2014 edition of the newly revitalized Philippine International Balloon Festival which is still scheduled to run from April 10 to 13.

The new venue is situated at a 250-hectare property in barangay Prado Siongco where a world-class theme park is now under construction. It is now host to the largest wakeboard park in Southeast Asia coupled with some 57 international standard villas and soon a championship golf course.

Aside from the fly-in and fly-out events early in the morning and late afternoon, the pilots are expected to showcase their evening spectacle called night-glow by pumping their tethered balloons with hot air to simulate a kaleidoscope of multi-colored incandescent bulbs.

Other special events would include wakeboarding, kite flying, parade of festivals, live bands, cultural presentations, cook fest, craft demonstration and car show.

This new plan might stand some chance of success because the new organizing committee is supported by the Culture, Arts and Tourism Office of Pampanga led by its provincial tourism officer Mr. Arwin Lingat who will be assisted by the provincial tourism council composed of tourism officers from all the towns in the province.

Entrance tickets are pegged at P150 per person; parking fee for cars at P50 each and P100 for buses.

If you are interested to attend the event, either as a pilot, passenger or spectator, please contact the Culture, Arts and Tourism Office of Pampanga, Capitol Compound, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Tel. No. (63 45) 963-0107 or email at pampanga_tourism@yahoo.com.

via – PIA.