The Leader's Blog! Cllr. Tony Woods writes on current issues: (Northampton Liberal Democrats)

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The Leader's Blog! Cllr. Tony Woods writes on current issues:

September 3, 2008 11:20 AM

This year's Balloon Festival has come and gone.

Attendance was good and the feedback I have had suggests that most people had a really good time.

We had reasonable weather throughout - with some very heavy rain on the Thursday before - the last set up day - and in the very early hours of Sunday to set the organisers some very real last minute challenges. When I arrived on site at 6:00 am on Friday much of the site was a mud bath and vehicles were getting bogged down all over the place.

Fortunately, the army were on hand with some impressive bits of kit that towed everyone out. A big thank you, guys.

And our parks department shipped in several tonnes of bark and wood chippings that solved the problem in some of the wettest places. By the formal opening of the showground at lunchtime on Friday all was secure under foot.

Balloons flew three of a possible six times - Friday morning and evening and Sunday morning. One of the pilots described the balloon glow on Saturday evening as 'one of the most difficult' he had ever done. The wind was gusting, making it extremely difficult for the pilots to stabilise their balloons. Nonetheless they gave us a brilliant display.

The Stars of the Show

The balloons are always the stars of the show. But there is lots of other entertainment throughout the weekend. No one seemed to mind the lack of seating in the circus tent - the seats were on a lorry stuck in a field in Cumbria. By the time it had been towed out and brought down to Northampton it was too late.

Other highlights? For me the Rockin Horse Display Team - with some spectacular riding - and the Extreme Skateboard and BMX team. Someone who works in the Chief Executive's office though Rick Astley was just divine (she knows who she is!) while a very young lady thought the Miller's Ark petting zoo was the best.

Some of the questions I was asked over the weekend.

1. Wouldn't it be better to hold the Balloon Festival a little earlier in the year when the weather is a bit more reliable? Apart from the obvious comment about the reliability of the English weather at any time of the year the Balloon Festival is in mid to late August to catch a window between crops being harvested and fields being ploughed. Obviously, Balloons must avoid landing in fields before the crop is harvested - and landing in a ploughed field can be dangerous. This year the weather has been so wet that the harvest has been delayed - making the selection of landing sites a bit more problematic - but, fortunately, all our balloonists found somewhere suitable to put down.

2. Who decides when and if the balloons fly? The Flight Director. If he says yes then each individual pilot makes his or her own decision. For example, on Sunday morning the weather conditions were fine but the ground was very wet. The flight director said OK - but several pilots decided that they didn't want to get their balloons wet and didn't go up. Understandable - a balloon is an expensive bit of kit. However, if the Flight Director says No then no one flies. His decision is final.

3. Will there be a Balloon Festival next year? Yes - the 20th Northampton Balloon Festival will be on 14th to 16th August 2009.

Putting on the Balloon Festival is a massive task. This year's has been a success - so thanks to all involved - the balloonists, their support teams and the farmers whose fields they land in; performers, traders and contractors; the police, security, first aid and emergency services; local resident's who put up with some disruption every year and the many Council staff who worked so hard to make it all happen - and to tidy up afterwards. And, of course, the visitors for whom it is all arranged and who make it all worthwhile.