Hot air balloons from around the country, and the world, lit up the Canterbury skies this morning.
It's part of preparations for the bi-annual Hororata Glow Festival that is taking place tomorrow.
“We have incorporated a light show and cannons and it’s the first time in New Zealand that the whole show has been done around the balloons, so we don’t do anything by halves in Hororata. So it’s gonna be amazing,” event organiser Cindy Driscoll told 1News.
It’s the fourth time they’ve held the event.
“We do it for our community, this is all about bringing people to our rural area and fundraising.”
All the balloons have come from right across the country.
“Five or six of them are from the North Island, Hamilton area, couple from Welly, one from Wānaka and there's of course Ballooning Canterbury too, here in Hororata,” Canterbury Ballooning’s Michael Oakley told 1News.
A new addition this year, Buster the Bulldog.
“So Buster has come all the way from the UK. It’s the first time we’ve had a special shape.”
“It’s just amazing to have him here, the kids are so excited to let the dogs out,” Driscoll told 1News.
The festival is sold out, with over 11,000 people expected to attend. It’s the biggest and only hot air balloon event in the South Island.
Ticket holders can expect more than just a show in the sky.
"Me and my dance team are going to be doing a dance... kind of like a jazzy upbeat kind of dance," 13-year-old Abigail Driscoll told 1News.
Cindy Driscoll said the University of Canterbury would be providing science demonstrations, while there'd be plenty of vendors too.
“People can go and learn about chemistry and the science behind balloons and the weather. There’s music, there’s over 80 stores, 40 food vendors. It’s the biggest food truck park up in the whole of Canterbury,” Driscoll said.
All fingers now crossed for the perfect weather.
“It’s not that easy to get them to stand and we don’t need much wind, and then yeah, it’s a little bit of a downer if that happens - but that’s life,” Driscoll told 1News.
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