Dozens of hot air balloons are set to take to the skies of London one Sunday morning this summer, as the Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta returns as a charity fundraiser in support of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. The annual event, run by Exclusive Ballooning, sees corporate partners pay to have balloons decorated in their company livery to join the floating parade. The balloons come in all manner of colours and designs, including shapes such as wellingtons, lions, and trophies.
The regatta is an annual event that was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19. The 2021, 2022, and 2023 events were also canceled due to bad weather. However, in 2019, the regatta went ahead with 46 hot air balloons taking off from Battersea Park early one Sunday morning.
The event is subject to the weather, with conditions such as wind and rain taken into account before it’s declared safe for the balloons to fly. As a result, several dates are pencilled in each year to give the event the best chance of going ahead, though that’s no guarantee.
Last year, a total of five potential flying dates between May and October were all scuppered by the weather. The 2024 balloon regatta dates are set for Sunday 7 July, Sunday 21 July, and Sunday 28 July.
Balloons take off from Battersea Park around 5:30 am, so visitors will need to set their alarms early if they want to see the regatta. However, the sight of dozens of colourful balloons gracefully gliding across the summer sky at sunrise makes it all worthwhile. Keep an eye on Exclusive Ballooning’s social media closer to the time to monitor the likelihood of a launch.
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