March 10, 2014 Update to 19th HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL This was the announcement made by Mr. Noel Castro Jr., the chairman of the newly established corporation registered as Pilipinas International Balloon Festival, Inc. This entity will henceforth manage and operate this year’s ballooning event and future fests as well. Mr. Castro said that the annual festival has been moved to its new location in view of the air traffic situation in aviation-related activities at the Clark International Airport, where some ten international and domestic airlines now operate and fly in and out from various destinations around the world. It had come to their committees attention that flying hot-air balloons at an altitude of 4,000 feet may inconvenience airlines, especially if these balloons are launched during peak hours. Thus they decided to move out of the 25-km no-fly zone for balloons off Clark. This year’s venue is situated in 250-hectare property in Brgy. Prado Siongco in Lubao, where a world-class theme park is now under construction. The area is now host to the largest wakeboard park in Southeast Asia, coupled with some 57 international standard villas, and soon, a championship golf course. Aside from the fly-in and fly-out events early in the morning and late afternoon, the pilots are expected to showcase their evening spectacle called night glow by pumping their tethered balloons with hot air to simulate a kaleidoscope of multi-colored incandescent bulbs. This colorful event will be held on a Friday and Saturday only. Other special events will include wakeboarding, kite flying, a parade of festivals, live bands, cultural presentations, a cook fest, craft demonstrations, and a car show. Mr. Castro is the founding president of the Angeles City Four Wheelers Club, Inc., the same group that has been volunteering to serve as the so-called chase crew since the event began in 1994. The corporation is also membered by Mr. Steve Kim, a 30-year Korean veteran balloon pilot who has been participating in the same event since its inception. This time, the organizing committee is supported by the Culture, Arts, and Tourism Office of Pampanga, led by its provincial tourism officer Mr. Arwin Lingat. They will be assisted by the provincial tourism council composed of tourism officers from all the provinces towns. How to Get There: From Clark, drive toward the SCTex along Clark South, then turn to the Dinalupihan exit plaza, then make a left turn toward Lubao to find the venue right past the Lubao – Dinalupihan welcome arch. Travel time from Clark is only about 45 minutes. From Manila, take the NLex and exit at the San Fernando toll plaza, then drive left toward Jose Abad Santos Avenue, (formerly Olongapo – Gapan Rd.) leading to Lubao. The site is near the welcome arch on your right. Spectators are advised to arrive at the site daily at 5:00 AM to catch the early morning fly-out. Entrance tickets are pegged at P200 per person, parking fee for cars at P50 each, and P100 for buses.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 06:04:01 +0000
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