Latest news with #hotairballoon
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Deflated families brand balloon festival a 'rip-off' after £20-a-head event
Deflated families have criticised a 'rip-off' balloon festival after shelling out £20-a-head for the event. The Balloons and Tunes festival promises to offer 'high-quality events' which 'showcase a vibrant mix of attractions', including 'spectacular Hot Air Balloon shows', but has received mixed reviews. Founded in 2012 and dubbed 'the UK's Freshest Hot Air Balloon & Music festival', the festival takes place across multiple cities across Britain from June to September and is set to be attended by hundreds of eager festivalgoers.. However, some visitors to the often sold-out festival have been left far from impressed and are even demanding a refund, with one grandmother branding the £20-a-head spectacle a 'rip-off' and an 'insult' to other balloon shows. Meanwhile another festivalgoer said that despite being the main event, the balloons were unable to be inflated when they attended due to the 'warm and sunny' weather. Carole Rabbetts, 75, said that her grandchildren had been left deeply 'upset at the lack of balloons', with just two balloons inflated during the afternoon in Romsey, Hampshire on July 19.. While other balloons were later inflated, the family had to leave and missed the delayed spectacle, leaving the grandmother feeling she had been shortchanged. Adding that the sold-out festival was as an 'insult to the people who do it properly', she said: 'It was supposed to be a balloon festival, and when we went there, there were only two balloons. 'And one of them was only inflated about 20 minutes before we left, about 4.30-5pm. 'You get other festivals where there are hundreds of hot air balloons and it is free to go and see them.' Ms Rabbetts, who also described the food as 'absolutely disgusting' and 'costing the earth', further remarked: 'I don't think I've ever paid to go into a funfair. It was £20 to go into a funfair - that is a rip-off. 'My son had one of their hot dogs, which cost him the earth, and he said, 'Mum, this is foul. I'm only eating it because I'm hungry, but in other circumstances, I would have thrown it in the bin!' Due to her poor experience and what she described as 'absolutely pathetic' stunt shows, Ms Rabbetts said that she would not be attending the event next year. Meanwhile, other disappointed festivalgoers took to Facebook to express their similar outrage at the 'awful event'. One commenter described there being a significant queue to get 'WARM' drinks', while also further claiming that two deflated balloons were not used due to the weather. Another furious Facebook user said that while they had initially been 'really looking forward' to the event, the fireworks and balloon rides had since been cancelled due to winds above 10mph, with no refunds on offer. On July 4, the festival announced that the event, then hosted in Cornwall, had been forced to cancel their fireworks display that the had been advertising for several months prior to the sold-out event. Despite complaints from punters, Balloons and Tunes UK said in the comments of a Facebook post on the day of the event that it did not have the licence to display the fireworks. Other attendees to the Romsey event said that the name of the festival had been deceptive, with there a 'huge feeling of being ripped off' as a result. One commenter said: 'Balloons were half an hour later than advertised, and my daughter was shattered, so we had to leave after five minutes'. Another also expressed their fury by adding that there were 'hardly any tunes and no balloons' and that the event had been 'so unorganised it was embarrassing'. As a result of their negative experience, they branded the festival 'a complete joke', while one unhappy visitor said they had been 'left disappointed' by the 'overpriced' event that was a 'waste of money'. Previous attendees have also raised complaints about the significant cost of parking and 'extortionate' food and drink prices. Despite the bouts of negative feedback, one local resident from the small town of Romsey described the unique launching of the balloons as 'a spectacle not seen in the town for some time'. Meanwhile, another individual who had attended the Cornwall event wrote: 'Had a wonderful day. Was gutted the weather meant balloons couldn't go up but safety first, typical Cornish drizzle all day but has a wonderful family day out! Will be going again.' Others also expressed sympathy for the festival, adding that 'unfortunately, they can't control the weather for the balloons to go up', but they had been appreciative of the staff 'making the effort with a fire show at the end of the night'. Another visitor to the Cornwall event spoke favourably of their experience, stating: 'Had a great evening, we arrived later on because of the weather forecast but the rain held off most of the evening. 'The monster truck show was cut short and balloons couldn't fly, both due to weather, but the music was fantastic and we had great food and danced. We will be back for the balloons next year.' On their website, Balloons and Tunes state that 'ballooning is a wholly weather dependent activity', adding that 'if the weather is not suitable, they may not be able to inflate properly or safely take off'. Last July, the inaugural Northumberland Balloon Festival failed to take off with visitors calling it 'atrocious', 'comical' and a rip-off. Described as the UK's largest Hot Air Balloon Festival, it promised up to 25 balloons for Saturday night's 'big balloon launch' and huge tethered balloons for photo opportunities throughout the three-day festival. However, visitors instead said that they arrived at Tynedale Rugby Club in Corbridge to find just four hot-air balloons in a muddy field and an Elton John tribute act singing Status Quo. One visitor even compared it to 'Potter's Pink Palace' from Phoenix nights. The festival, organised by Richardson's Amusements LTD and involving Exclusive Ballooning, was been slammed as a rip-off, with families complaining a lack of communication. The event was been likened to a 'funfair with a few balloons tacked on at the end of the day,' rather than a balloon festival, with hundreds of comments on the event's Facebook page calling for refunds on the £15 tickets removed. A post on the Northumberland Balloon Festival Facebook page said: 'The heavy rain overnight causing wet ground conditions combined with some forecast potential drizzle during flying time this evening means we don't expect to be flying this evening. 'However, the teams on site are confident that the shelter on the launch site will allow us to inflate balloons throughout the afternoon. We have a number of SkySafari unique animal balloons on site and all of these are scheduled to make an appearance at some point today. 'These include Puddles and Splash the famous penguins along with Tall Steve, the world's tallest penguin. We also have the Wallace and Gromit Moon Rocket here with us which will be out at some point. Finally, if conditions allow, we have a surprise balloon to inflate just in time for the football which is on the big screen.'
CTV News
17-07-2025
- CTV News
People sold tickets to non-existent hot air balloon rides in York Region: police
York Regional Police logo is seen at headquarters in Aurora, Ont., Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston Police in York Region say someone is selling people phony tickets for non-existent hot air balloon rides in Markham. Investigators report that 'numerous' victims have recently contacted them after purchasing what they believed to be tickets for a hot air balloon ride from a company called 'The Candle Experience 2025.' Police say on July 4, a person responded to an ad on social media and paid $45 online to secure a July 5 reservation. 'When the victim attended a park in the area of 14th Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway in the City of Markham for the scheduled ride, they were met by a large number of people who also showed up for a hot air balloon ride,' York Regional Police said in a news release. 'It was soon discovered the victims had fallen victim to a scam as there were no hot air balloons or staff from 'The Candle Experience' present at the park.' A similar incident occurred on July 12, police said, when several people and vehicles arrived at the same park expecting a hot air balloon ride. To avoid becoming a victim of this kind of crime, police are urging people to look up customer reviews on multiple platforms, obtain a physical address and contact information for the company to help verify their authenticity, and be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Police noted that hot air balloon rides usually cost a few hundred dollars. 'Confirm your booking by calling or emailing the operator directly. A reputable company will respond to your query promptly,' they said. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to call the #5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7541, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CBC
17-07-2025
- CBC
Company advertising hot air balloon rides in York Region is scam, police say
Police in York Region are warning of a hot air balloon ride scam after at least two incidents where customers paid for the experience, only to find no balloons or staff when they showed up. In a news release on Thursday, police said they have received reports from several victims of the scam since the beginning of June. The company involved, advertising itself as "The Candle Experience 2025," accepts payments for bookings but then fails to deliver the experience, police said. Its website has been deleted and its Instagram page is no longer available. Police said a person responded to an advertisement on social media on June 4 and paid $45 online for hot air balloon ride reservation on July 5. But on the scheduled day, when that person went to a park in the area of 14th Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway in Markham, there were no hot air balloons and no staff from the The Candle Experience. A large number of people had also showed up for the ride, police said. Police said a similar incident happened on July 12, when a large number of people and vehicles went to the same park expecting hot air balloon rides but had been duped out of their money. "Our investigators want to make the community aware of this scam," Const. Kevin Nebrija, media relations officer, said on Thursday. "Just be cautious of who you are booking with and through what means. Social media ads are meant to grab your attention real quick. But any reputable company, if you are going to make a booking with them, should be outside of that social media platform," Nebrija said. How to avoid becoming a victim of a scam To avoid becoming a victim of a scam, police recommend that consumers: Look up customer reviews on several platforms. Find a physical address and contact information for the company to help verify its authenticity. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Hot air balloon rides typically cost a few hundred dollars. Confirm your booking by calling or emailing the operator directly. A reputable company will respond to a query promptly. Anyone who has been a victim of a fraud is urged to call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at 1-888-495-8501.
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong festival to feature animal-shaped hot-air balloons, Cantopop concerts
Hot-air balloons in the shapes of animals such as a panda, dinosaur and rabbit will fly against the Hong Kong skyline as part of a coming four-day megafestival in September, along with nightly concerts starring Cantopop singers such as Joey Yung Cho-yee and Leo Ku Kui-kei. The organiser said on Monday that it expected the AIA International Hot Air Balloon Fest Hong Kong to draw 80,000 international visitors and residents alike between September 4 and 7, which could boost tourism and local spending in the city. 'We hope that tourists from the mainland and overseas would, because of the hot-air balloons, reconsider Hong Kong as a travel and leisure destination in Asia,' said Joey Chan Pui-kwan, chief operating officer of Grand Events Asia. 'Local families are also our target audience. We hope that the hot-air balloon festival will encourage more Hongkongers to spend in the city and to enjoy a brand new experience.' The HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) festival at the Central Harbourfront Event Space will have six large hot-air balloons measuring up to 20 metres (66 feet) tall, complemented by more than 10 smaller ones from countries such as Canada, Germany and Japan. Stalls for games, food and shopping will also be featured as part of the festival. Chan highlighted that her team had taken reference from hot-air balloon festivals around the region and was confident that the variety of balloons would allow for a fresh display, as she hoped for the event to be hosted annually in the city.
The Sun
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
‘We've been robbed!' Parents slam £58 hot air balloon festival with NO balloons, lame Eminem tribute act & £18 hotdogs
PARENTS have slammed a hot air balloon festival, billed as "captivating", that had no hot air balloons, expensive food and a disappointing Eminem tribute act. Promising live music and a hot air balloon display Balloons and Beats in Manchester was slammed for being "overcrowded" and "overpriced." 5 5 Parents turning up with their kids for a fun family day out were sorely disappointed by the lack of hot air balloons. The event was held in Platt Fields Park, Manchester, over the weekend on June 27 and 28 and left punters furious with organisers. Before coming to Manchester the festival had visited Nottingham and Wrexham, and over the summer will move to Salisbury, Hull, Chepstow and Birkenhead. Parents were reportedly asked to cough up a whopping £58 for a family ticket admitting two adults and two children to the event. The event promised to offer "captivating hot air balloon displays, electrifying live music and a thrilling celebration of family fun, infectious rhythms and captivating performances." But parents were left furious after it turned out to be the exact opposite. Attendees said no hot air balloons made an appearance, food was overpriced and the live music was disappointing. One parent told the Manchester Evening News: 'In reality it was just a noisy and overpriced funfair. 'We paid so much for entry but were charged £5 for rides on top of that." The event was touted as being perfect for music lovers by organisers. Glastonbury opening ceremony branded a flop by disappointed revellers as fireworks display 'dogged by sound issues' After being promised live music parents expected local bands to be playing but were left disappointed again with only one stage hosting tribute acts. Parents left the event early after being offered nothing of what they were promised. Dozens of parents and punters took to social media to complain about the event, slamming organisers who they claim "mis-sold" the festival. According to organisers around 5,500 people showed up to the Balloons and Beats festival in Manchester. 5 5 Complaints varied from overpriced food and beer to a lack of balloons to promised attractions not materialising. A foam party, monster trucks, BMX displays and kids entertainers were all promised but not delivered as expected. One upset punter took to social media to say: "Bought a family ticket on Friday thinking it was going to be amazing had the worst time ever. "Security on the gate said we couldn't take food and drink in, it was so crowded and on a boiling hot day queues to get any drinks were crazy. "We ended up leaving after an hour and was so thirsty and weren't paying them type of prices. "Will definitely not be going next year £6 for a small kids slushie was so expensive and line was massive." The Sun has contacted the organisers of Balloons and Beats for comment. The tragic Willy Wonka experience A WILLY Wonka-inspired event in Glasgow hit headlines in February this year - but for all the wrong reasons. Families arrived at a near-empty warehouse after paying £35 for what was supposed to be an "immersive experience". Kids were given just a few jelly babies and a cup of limeade before it was all over in minutes. The experience was so bad, children were reduced to tears and police were called to the venue as angry parents gathered outside. Organiser Billy Coull was eventually forced to issue an apology for the "sheer and utter disappointment" blaming technical difficulties for the chaos. Hundreds of families had paid to see Willy's Chocolate Experience, which was due to take place over two days. But House of Illuminati - the firm behind the show - cancelled it mid-way through its first day. Parents slammed it as a "scam" - with some paying £65 for family tickets.
