GEORGE TOWN, Dec 14 – The launching of the Penang Hot Air Balloon Mini Fiesta was held at Occupy Beech Street on Sunday morning with the present of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Also present were AKA Balloon Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Izzati Khairuddin, Penang Global Tourism general manager, Ooi Chok Yan, MBPP director of Management Services, Tuan Haji Akbar Bin Mustapha and also the representative of Hunza Group, Kester Hok.
Penang Hot Air Balloon Mini Fiesta which promotes the upcoming Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2016 on the second day of 2016 Chinese New Year of the Monkey. The Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2016 will be happening for the second time in conjunction with Chinese New Year on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th February 2016 where 15 international and local hot air balloons will participate.
Over these two days, the event will be held from 7am to 9.30pm at Padang Polo once again while the entrance is free. Besides the impressive hot air balloons, there will be family-friendly activities, creative workshops, and many other exciting activities. The Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2016 is organised by AKA Balloons Sdn Bhd, and supported by the Penang State Government with the cooperation of the City Council of Penang Island (MBPP) and Penang Global Tourism.
“Before the main event itself, we are organising this ‘mini fiesta’ as a pre event to start off the hype with having a model of two hot air balloon displayed right here at Beach Street as well as the ‘cold inflation’ activity that’s also set up. In the meantime, we’ve also started having the Mini Paper Craft Balloons Colouring Workshop held on Saturdays at Gurney Paragon’s Penang On 6 and Sundays at Occupy Beach Street,” said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
“This is a free colouring workshop where it’s open to children aged 12 years and below. Participants will be provided with the balloon paper craft and paint to colour it. The completed mini paper balloons will then be selectively displayed at the Esplanade on 22nd Dec till the main event in Feb next year. This time, we are opening up to the public, especially the children to get involved by expressing their creativity freely in the mini paper craft artwork,” said Lim.
“In the meantime, there were also a lighting ceremony will be done for this purpose to showcase their mini paper balloons at the Esplanade. This event is especially called The Path of Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2016. Besides that, Occupy Beach Street was also celebrating its 2nd anniversary which this project is an initiative to bring life into Beach Street which is the state government had implemented Car-Free Day on every Sunday from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm,” he added.
