IT’S amazing to see how the hard work of a few dedicated people can turn what started out as a small event into a massive extravaganza attracting thousands of visitors.
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Saturday night’s Canowindra Balloon Glow and Night Market, a highlight of the Canowindra Balloon Challenge, proved a big hit with people of all ages, as 10,000 people flocked to the small town, eager to be mesmerised by the 15 large hot-air balloons that light up the still night sky.
Despite its small size, Canowindra has managed to pull together a small and enthusiastic bunch of people who run the annual event that continues to grow in popularity, attracting 1500 more people this year than it did last year.
In fact, many in the crowd had travelled from as far as Sydney just to attend.
Canowindra Balloon Challenge chairman, Arthur Falconer, told the Central Western Daily that crowds started to gather for Saturday night’s event from around 3.30pm, not only to see the balloons, but also to take advantage of the numerous food and craft stalls on offer.
While Mr Falconer says great media interest in the event has helped pull in the crowds over the years, that’s not all it takes to make an event successful.
Dedicated volunteers had given up countless hours to make the balloon glow and indeed the entire balloon challenge run smoothly and safely, he said.
Organisers are already calling on more volunteers to help stage next year’s event.
As Mr Falconer told the Central Western Daily everyone is welcome to volunteer, you don’t have to have any particular skill to contribute, you just need to be prepared to give your time and more importantly your enthusiasm
After all, if we want to ensure community-driven events such as this continue to go from strength to strength, we all need to roll up our sleeves and contribute.
