WAKE UP TO THE LORD MAYOR'S BALLOON REGATTA

Up to 50 hot air balloons will (hopefully) be taking to the skies this spring and summer

Waking up to a sky full of hot air balloons is quite a magical thing and that’s exactly what the plan is with the Lord Mayor’s Balloon Regatta – providing the weather plays ball. The regatta is in aid of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which focuses on initiatives like promoting inclusive workplaces, empowering young women, reducing the stigma around mental health, and supporting philanthropy amongst City businesses. But the regatta hasn’t had the easiest time of it; poor conditions put paid to the show for the last two years, with the pandemic forcing the balloons to stay grounded in 2020, so the last time it actually went ahead was in June 2019, with 46 balloons launching from Battersea Park at 5.30am.

This year we’re hoping for a repeat of that, with balloons floating over landmarks like Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Tower Bridge. Quite sensibly, the team has pencilled in three possible dates for the regatta, so hopefully the balloons will take to the skies at some point this spring and summer.