Catch A Flock Of Hot Air Balloons Flying Over London This Weekend

The Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta, organised by Exclusive Ballooning, is set to take place this weekend, meaning up to fifty big balloons will float over the city.

Or so we hope. The regatta takes place every June, but since it remains at the mercy of the British weather, it can often be delayed at short notice. Anyway, we’ll get our chance to see a sky full of spectacular hot air balloons this year, as the regatta is currently slated for Sunday, June 18 – so keep your fingers crossed that it actually happens this time*!

Up to fifty balloons take to the skies each year, while the event raises funds and awareness for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. Indeed, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress head the procession in the leading balloon – which seems like a particularly risky canary in the coalmine strategy, if you ask me.

The whole thing is due to kick off at around 7:30am, so set an alarm if you’re hoping to catch them. You might spot them gliding over Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye – and it does look bloody lovely when it actually happens!

For more information, head to the Balloon Regatta’s website.

*there are standby dates in case of unfavourable weather conditions, so if the balloons can’t launch this Sunday, July 25 is provided as the next possible launch date. Ballooning is an inexact science, after all – hence its popularity with Victorian eccentrics.

Also published on Medium.