AN ORGANISER of the 2024 Oswestry Balloon Festival, in aid of Wrexham’s Nightingale Hospice, says he is delighted with the support it has received.
Marc Derbyshire has resumed his organising duties after bringing the festival to the town last decade but took over again when asked by Oswestry Town Council.
He said the event has gone better ‘than anyone could have hoped for’ and thanked the town for its support, even at 6am.
OTHER NEWS:
- Oswestry man sentenced over ice cream shop burglary at Mid Wales seaside resort
- Two people left with 'serious facial injuries' after Oswestry assault
- Inquest into death of Oswestry man who suffered seizure is delayed
“The event has surpassed expectations for us,” he said.
“Spirit, the people organising it last year were good and are friends of ours, and we wanted to just get it as good as that.
“But we’ve had lots of feedback to say that we’ve done that and more so we’re really happy.
“Morning flights are usually there to please the pilots who have turned up and the public is usually in bed.
“But Oswestry is so well rehearsed in it all and so used to balloons, they’re so used to it all so they know there are morning flights.
“So they come out for them – on Saturday we had around 100 people but on Sunday there was more than 200 people there watching them lift off in the park.
“It’s quite unusual and it’s testament to how much they love watching the balloons.”
Marc was delighted to resume organisation to support the event and admitted, weather and finances depending, that thoughts have already turned to 2025 at a time when festivals are facing a tough future.
He said: “I did the first-ever Oswestry Balloon Festival with the council so got it here in the first place but then I handed it to Spirit because we got too busy.
“But this is why it’s come back to me because now Spirit has become too busy, town clerk Arren Roberts came and asked if we would do it.
“The feedback I’m getting from all parties, from the council, Oswestry BID and Nightingale Hospice, is that they’re looking forward to next year and they’re happy.”
The weekend was supported by thousands of people who turned out at all hours, from across the UK, with morning departures and the iconic and headline Night Glow event equally loved.
Get in touch
Share your views on this story by sending a letter to the editor. To get in touch email news@bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk, or fill in the form on this section of our website.
One pilot Thomas Lee, of Bluebell Hot Air Balloons, praised Saturday night’s Night Glow event, and admitted the gathered balloonists were delighted to take part.
On Friday evening, town mayor Councillor Mike Isherwood and his mayoress, and wife, Gemma were taken into the skies by Marc himself.
Donations were given on the day to Nightingale Hospice, based in Wrexham, who was the festival’s charity partner.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here