If you’ve always wanted to visit Cappadocia in Turkey to witness their famous hot air balloons filling the sky, here’s your chance to experience a slice of the same magic right here on home turf. The AIA International Hot Air Balloon Fest Hong Kong (HABFest) is our city’s first international-scale hot air balloon event, and it’s bound to be a blast.
From Albuquerque’s balloon fiesta in New Mexico and the balloons that float over Luxor to offer great views of Egypt’s ancient temples and the Nile, to Asia’s largest balloon festival in Saga, Japan, hot air balloons have always held a special place in adventurous hearts worldwide. Hong Kong’s HABFest will feature distinctive balloons from all over the world, including Canada, the UK, Germany, and Japan. There will be six large balloons measuring up to 20 metres in height, as well as over 10 smaller ones around 11 metres tall – and even a tailor-made panda-shaped balloon created specially for our city. Depending on the weather, there might also be rides on a large tethered hot air balloon!
After seeing these balloons filling the sky against our iconic cityscape, stick around for the Hot Air Balloon Night Glow Show, which features live music performances by a star-studded lineup of some of Hong Kong’s beloved musicians, including Joey Yung, Leo Ku, Kay Tse, Louis Cheung, Gin Lee, ToNick, Kenny Kwan, LMF, and more.
The festival will also be set up like a carnival, with game booths, food stalls, and retail outlets. In addition, sporty participants can join the AIA Balloon Run, a charity fun run on September 6 along the coastline with hot air balloons framing the harbour view – all proceeds will be donated to Outward Bound Hong Kong to support youth development initiatives.
The HABFest will run from September 4 to 7 at the Central Harbourfront Event Space. Tickets are now on sale, ranging from $150 to $1,480, with concessions available along with family package discounts. A limited amount of early-bird tickets will be available until August 10. Check out the official website for more details.
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