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Borough mayor Councillor George Hood with Thomson the cat in the Thomson Local balloon

HOT air balloons of all shapes and colours will fill north Hampshire's skies next month when the 13th annual Balloons over Basingstoke event takes place in War Memorial Park.

The three-day festival, staged by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, will take place from Friday, August 1, to Sunday, August 3, and will feature a host of activities and attractions.

The event will kick off on the Friday night with a Nightglow, where balloons and lasers light up in time to music, compered by 2tenfm.

On the Saturday and Sunday, the balloons will be tethered in the park and entertainment will include the Wacky Tumblers, the Bolddog Lings mini motocross display team and the London Fire Brigade Parachute Display Team.

There will also be dance performances, art and craft workshops and a funfair.

Two mass balloon launches, at 6am and 6pm, will also take place on Saturday and Sunday, subject to weather conditions.

Councillor Keith Chapman, borough Cabinet member for sport and leisure, said: "Balloons over Basingstoke is the borough's flagship event and attracts people from all over the region."

Gates for the Nightglow event will open at 6pm with the show scheduled for approximately 9.45pm, subject to weather and light conditions. Activities on the Saturday and Sunday will run from 12pm to 6pm, complemented by the 6am and 6pm mass balloon launches.

Accessible parking, wheelchairs and Shopmobility buggies will be available at the War Memorial Park. There will also be a park-and-ride facility opposite The Skewers pub, in Old Common Road.

For more information, contact Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on 01256 844844 or visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/leisure/events/balloons

1:20pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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