We are just weeks away now from the much-anticipated Atlantic Balloon Fiesta in Sussex.
Now in its 39th year, the festival attracts tens of thousands of people from across the region.
Alannah Pearson, pilot coordinator with the volunteer committee, said planning is going really well.
“We’ve been meeting pretty religiously since January of this year, and we’re actually ahead of schedule on some of our planning and commitments and all that stuff,” Pearson told our newsroom.
Many things need to be planned as part of the annual event, said Pearson, such as booking the balloon pilots and logistics with Transport Canada.
However, there are things many people may not think about to ensure there is something for everyone to do at the four-day festival.
“All the smaller events like petting zoos and amusement rides and all those types of performances, bandstand, all of those things take lots of planning,” she said.
There is also the vendor application process for the indoor market and the antique car show that happens at the festival each year.
Pearson said 28 pilots from across North America and the UK have signed up for this year’s festival.
“We’ve got a couple of really great shapes that will be revealed here in the coming weeks, so we definitely have some new balloons to us this year and, of course, some old favourites that have been coming for years,” she added.
The Atlantic Balloon Fiesta runs from Sept. 4 to 7.
