Balloons over Waikato thrill early rising crowd

Early morning daylight was trying to break through dark clouds that were being wished away by early-rising spectators at Innes Common in Hamilton today.

The crowd was awaiting the inflation and flight of several special-shaped balloons as part of the Balloons over Waikato festival.

Children of all ages waited with anticipation, holding balloons of their own, while parents bought cups of coffee and stared sky high as a few rain drops fell.

Two keen balloon viewers were Melanie Aschenbrenner and her son Marcus.

“This is our first morning here, we were up early because we’ve got work and then school.

“We were up at six to drop my partner off at work, he works by McDonald’s so we were like let’s get a Milo and go down to the balloons,” she said.

Aschenbrenner was happy to see the clouds depart, giving way to a sunny sky and clearing the balloons for takeoff.

“Whoa Mum, it’s coming up,” yelled Marcus.

Aschenbrenner said she quite liked the Hamilton balloon that had fired up and was now taking flight.

“We went to the night glow years ago and they come right over my house,” she said.

“So when we get home from school, hopefully they’re right above us again.”

Next to the Hamilton balloon, the special shape Copter Boy was preparing to jet off.

“That one looks like it’s going down,” Melanie said to Marcus.

“It looked like it was falling,” Marcus agreed as the balloon recovered its shape.

Michelle Connell has been the manager of Balloons over Waikato for 13 years and says she fell into the role.

“I was working for 15 hours a week growing the event.

“I had been doing this for two months when the event manager left and I was thrown into it.

“It was a baptism of fire.”

She says her favourite part of the event is probably night glow.

“It’s a great build up with a big huge crowd, lots of things to do and see.

“I really do like that.”

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