Looking back at Northampton Balloon Festival through the years as iconic event returns
Carly Odell
·2-min read
First early morning balloon flight. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
As the iconic Northampton Balloon Festival returns after a hiatus of more than a decade, Chronicle & Echo has delved into its archives to find photos of the event from years gone by.
The festival is back for 2023 and is taking place this weekend (Friday August 18 to Sunday August 20) at the Racecourse. Expect epic hot air balloons, hours of live entertainment, stalls, kids activities and more.
Before its break, the festival originally took place at the Racecourse between 1989 and 2008, and became one of the biggest in the country. The balloon festival then moved to Billing Aquadrome and combined with the town festival. The last one of its kind of that event was held in 2018.
Friday evening balloon launch. (Photo: James Corbett)
Now the original balloon festival is back and is said to be “bigger than ever”, so to mark the occasion we are looking back at the festival in years gone by.
Below is a collection of pictures of Northampton Balloon Festival through the years.
Friday evening balloon launch. (Photo: James Corbett)
Friday evening balloon launch. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2008. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2008. (Photo: James Corbett)
Friday evening balloon launch. (Photo: James Corbett)
Friday evening balloon launch. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2007. (Photo: Steven Prouse)
First early morning balloon flight. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
First early morning balloon flight. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
First early morning balloon flight. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006 - wet weather crowd. (Photo: James Corbett)
First early morning balloon flight. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2007. (Photo: Steven Prouse)
Aerial view of balloons taking of from Racecourse in 2007. (Photo: Steven Prouse)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Northampton Balloon Festival 2006. (Photo: James Corbett)
Star of the show. (Photo: James Corbett)
Local business stalls. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
Six-year-old James Sweetman. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
More fireworks. (Photo: James Corbett)
Rides and more in place at the festival. (Photo: Kelly Barnes)
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