The Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is an annual
hot air balloon festival
Hot air balloon festivals are held annually in many places throughout the year, allowing hot air balloons operators to gather- as well as for the general public- to participate in various activities. They can include races; evening "night glows" ...
held within the city of
George Town in
Penang,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. The festival, organised by AKA Balloon Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian private limited firm, takes place every February at the city's Polo Ground.
Inaugurated in 2015, the two-day Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta typically features 15 hot air balloons, with the participating crew coming from various nations such as
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
The previous edition of the festival in 2017 attracted as many as 170,000 visitors.
History
The Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, the first
hot air balloon festival
Hot air balloon festivals are held annually in many places throughout the year, allowing hot air balloons operators to gather- as well as for the general public- to participate in various activities. They can include races; evening "night glows" ...
in the
State of Penang, was mooted to boost tourist arrivals into the city-state.
The inaugural event, held at the Polo Ground on 21 and 22 February 2015, was timed to coincide with the
Chinese New Year festivities.
Since then, the event has grown considerably. Several on-site family-friendly activities have been added into the two-day event, including workshops, photography contests and
kite flying.
Smaller-scale preludes to the yearly event have been organised as well, such as a mini balloon fiesta at the
Esplanade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cl ...
and a balloon display in
Butterworth on the
mainland
Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
.
See also
*
Hot air balloon festival
Hot air balloon festivals are held annually in many places throughout the year, allowing hot air balloons operators to gather- as well as for the general public- to participate in various activities. They can include races; evening "night glows" ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Hot air balloon festivals
George Town, Penang
Festivals in Malaysia