Int’l hot air balloon fest to soar in Lubao

MANILA, Philippines - Lubao town in Pampanga will host the Philippine International Balloon Festival on April 10-13 featuring 35 colorful and specially shaped hot air balloons (cartoon character-shaped balloons like Simba, Angry Bird, etc) coming from different countries that most Filipinos have not seen in previous years.  The event is said to be the biggest hot air balloon festival in the country.

Fuelled by the slogan “The magical flying experience continues,” the event will be organized by a team of dynamic and talented professionals known as Pilipinas International Balloon Festival Inc., spearheaded by its chairman, Noel Castro.

Since its inception in 1994, this is the first time that a balloon festival will be held outside the premises of the Clark International Airport. 

The upcoming event will be held in a private 300-hectare tourism estate in Baranggay Prado Siongco in Lubao, where spectators may expect to see, aside from the customary festival, the pilots showcasing their “magic” by pumping their tethered balloons with hot air to produce a je ne sais quoi night-glow experience of multi-colored luminous bulbs. 

The Pilipinas International Balloon Festival Inc. considers the event not just an annual occasion but also as a stunning tradition embedded in the culture of the province. This philosophy gave birth to their fervent passion to maintain the tradition at all cost. 

The organizing group is fully supported by the provincial government of Pampanga. It also includes Steve Kim, a 25-year South Korean veteran hot air balloon pilot and a regular participant.

Also, the Pilipinas International Balloon Festival has made intensive studies and preparation and secured the necessary permits, believing that the safety of the spectators and participants is of paramount importance.

The organizers have also employed more than enough professionals and staff to ensure the success of this much-awaited event.

It is the organizers’ hope to surpass the expectations of the public and to create an event that will exhibit the venerable beauty of Pampanga. This year, the organizers are primed to accommodate 100,000 people coming from the different parts of the country with tickets set at P200 each.

In addition to flying balloons, the organizers have also set up a variety  of activities, including a balloon fight, night glow, kite flying, live bands, street dancing, cultural presentations, car show, bazaar, food festival and many more.

The organizers may be contacted through Jovie Arias at 0916-332-8138, (045) 436-0668 or joviearias@yahoo.com.

For the organizers, it is not just continuing the event but also highlighting the fervor and faith of the people of Pampanga and of the entire nation as well to rise and fly high amid and beyond calamities and disasters. This year and beyond, it is a declaration that Pampanga will be a place where “the magical flying experience continues.”