By JESSE GRAHAM
THE best of the region will be on display at a new festival premiering at the Cox Plate Race Day in Yarra Glen with a free night-time event.
The inaugural Yarra Valley Balloon Festival (YVBF) will begin on Saturday 24 October at the Yarra Valley Racecourse in Yarra Glen with 12 hot air balloons taking to the sky as part of a night-time display.
After the day’s Cox Plate event, visitors will be allowed into the grounds for free from 5pm to witness a night glow from the balloons, followed by a 10 minute firework display.
The festival will run through until 9.30pm with a cocktail party, skydiving displays, lanterns for children and demonstration from Yarra Glen CFA among other attractions.
On the Sunday morning, those booked in will be able to go for morning balloon flights, while visitors can pay a gold coin to go on a short, tethered balloon ride above the racecourse.
A social media photo competition will then be held, with the poster of the best photo from the morning posted on Instagram with the hashtag #YVBF15 receiving $500 in cash.
YVR chief executive Brett Shambrook said he was looking forward to the event, which he said will be a chance to showcase the region’s offerings to tourists and residents.
“I think people don’t come now to the Yarra Valley to do one set thing,” he said.
“They’re not coming just to go to a winery, they’re coming and calling in at the chocolate factory, they’re going to the (Healesville) Sanctuary.
“We’re trying to showcase everything the region has to offer.”
Mr Shambrook said he wanted the event to be embraced by the community and to become an annual attraction, likening it to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, which features more than 600 balloons over 10 days, drawing in more than 100,000 visitors.
“We’re really keen to see the Balloon Festival kick off – it needs to start somewhere,” he said.
“Looking long term, I imagine that the Yarra Valley Balloon Festival would be a bigger event over a longer period of time.
“Albuquerque started with 10 or 12 balloons, now over 600 balloons participate.”
The Cox Plate Race Day event begins at 11am on Saturday 24 October, with the YVBF to begin from 5pm.
The YVBF is being run with the support of Yarra Ranges Tourism, Country Racing Victoria, the Yarra Ranges Council, the Balloon Association of Victoria and the Victorian Government.
