The Canowindra International Balloon Challenge has taken out Bronze again this year at the NSW Tourism Awards in the event category Festivals and Events.

Now coming into its 9th year of running the event it is going from strength to strength as it continues to grow each year.

Event Organiser, Jan Kerr said, “We are absolutely stoked! It is a great achievement for a little town of only 2,000 people and an event run by volunteers”.

Volunteers are the backbone of this event and to goes to show what a community can do when they all come together.

“There are so many people who volunteer for the odd job here and there and they all add up. There are people from all over the place that are doing just a job that helps it run smoothly.

“We had about 190 volunteers this year. The High School Duke of Edinburgh kids come along, and they act as the target team for the competition and the teacher Andrew Phelan brings them along at 5.15am every morning, that is great for their community service but it is a great thing that they are interacting with people from around the world.

“Everybody that volunteers usually gets more out of it than they put into it,” said Jan.

The competition is a 9 day event with a celebratory Balloon Glow at the conclusion of the competition. 

“It is an event for pilots, but it is also for spectators. People have already booked in because they have enjoyed it so much.

“We have had pilots from France, UK, USA, Japan, Canada, all over Australia, The Netherlands, Russia and we have a German pilot who is wanting to register for next year already,” said Jan.

The April 2019 event is already shaping up to be a great one.

“As each year goes on we are getting more support, both monetary and in-kind support from the region which is fabulous.

“Next year I don’t want to jinx myself but gee it would be nice to move up higher in the awards.

“We are looking at it being bigger, brighter and better!” said Jan.

Congratulations to the team at the International Balloon Challenge and to everybody who volunteered their time to make the event possible.