A FEAST of flying activity is promised when this year?s Westcountry Balloon Fiesta and Day at the Races is staged at Tavistock College over the Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Lions Club of Tavistock and Tavistock Round Table ? joint organisers of the event ? say spectators will be able to see around 50 hot air balloons flying from the site. And during both afternoons, Rise Aviation will be offering five-minute helicopter flights over Tavistock at a cost of £20 for adults and £15 for children. Gas supply problems caused the cancellation of last year?s event - the organisers are delighted with the help they have received from Calor, their gas supplier, in overcoming the gas problems. With Redrow Homes coming in as the main event sponsor, this year?s fiesta promises to be one of the best yet ? the financial support from Redrow will cover many of the fixed costs in staging the event such as hire of tentage. This year there will also be additional arena entertainment featuring Ian Jay?s ?Sponge Plunge?, when he dives from the top of a 50ft tower, and Bernie Bennett with his comedy tightrope act. The Round Table will be staging their pantomime horse racing which is always popular with the children and on which the parents can place a small wager. There will be an increased number of trade stands, together with a tented charity bazaar, which allows local charities to raise funds. Any charity that wishes to attend and has not already registered should contact Lion member Angela Hill on 01822 613365. There will also be a host of giant slides, bouncy castles, and other sideshows plus children?s entertainer Emazdad and also live music and a licensed bar. The fiesta opens at the college at 2pm on both days with entrance costing £1 for those arriving on foot or £5 for a car plus up to five occupants with free parking provided at Crowndale. Balloon ascents are scheduled at 6pm on both days with a spectacular balloon glow at dusk on the Saturday only. This is where the balloonists inflate the balloon envelopes and keeping the balloons tethered to the ground, turn the gas-burners on and off in time with classical music, making the balloons look like huge light bulbs glowing in the dark. There will also be early morning massed ascents at dawn on the Saturday and Sunday. Making its first appearance in the West Country will be the new balloon belonging to sponsors Redrow and there will be one from St Dunstans, the national charity for blind ex-service men and women, being flown by a fully qualified partially sighted pilot. One of the other balloons flying will be from Somerfield, which has offered six flights to the organisers as competition prizes - see next week?s paper for entry form. The flights have to be taken during the fiesta weekend but in the unfortunate event of them not taking place due to adverse weather, the winners will receive a £50 Somerfield voucher. Anyone requiring more information can contact Steve Grummitt, the press officer on 01822 615526 or 07802 600282 or visit http://www.westcountry">www.westcountry balloons.com
