Balloon Glow Festival

Canowindra NSW May 2025

Off we go again

Another long drive to Canowindra, way out west but it was so worth it. Arrived around 3pmish, should not stop for a leisurely lunch when I have 4 1/2 hours to drive. It ended up taking me 6 hours to get here.

Along the way

Borrow box book from the library made the trip so much more entertaining. Giggles and smiles along the way. When I arrived, another roller didn't even wait until hooked up to power before popping over to say hi. Felt good to have someone camped next door that I could chat to.

The Caravan and camping show is on in Sydney this weekend I think I could probably see more variety here than at the show, so many different set ups it's amazing. Getting closer to dinner time and meet up with the Rollers, think I might walk down to the club to stretch my legs after such a long drive today.

"I could rave on for hours about how magnificent these balloons look in flight."

A few photos

Thursday Morning

OMG it is so cold at 6am, I dont think I have ever been so cold in my life. Being an early riser on holidays was so worth it. Just a short walk across the road to the sports ground Picture perfect views up close of the balloons and the people doing the set up.

Balloons are not flying today. Weather seems fine down here but apparently the flying conditions are not good. The group has a retired weather man who checks flying conditions, and he has said not today.

Watched some of the fun and interesting set ups. One fella has a wheelie bin instead of a basket, another has a chair. Saw one team tie the anchors to 4 Landcruisers to hold and then inflated the balloon to fly at about house roof height. They are so strong.

Learnt

The team stretch out the balloon, blow in cold air to start inflating the balloon, then hot air to start the balloon to rise.

Stuck a new pin in the map this morning, took a bit to find Conowindra.

After breakfast headed into town to find the information centre, always find out so much more from locals, well I took a wrong turn and ended up in the main street, needed to go shopping anyway! Always something to buy. The whole town is decorated for Balloon glow.

Found the visitors centre, ladies were so nice, I think I might drive home via Bathurst and make a full circle trip. The trip home looks a little shorter than the trip here. Will definitely take me longer if I go through Bathurst.

Japanese POW camp and gardens are not far - just down the road at Cowra- I remember last time someone told me just down the road it was more like an hours drive. 😊

Just a few of the 300+ photos I took on different days. I stayed at the showground, and it was fabulous. Rollers all nearby and this cute old couple next door. Every morning he would be out with his binoculars looking for the first sight of the balloons. I would wake up and open the door and know if the balloons were on their way as he would be tracking the incoming flights.