The 2024 Tazaungdine Hot-Air Balloon Festival is being held at Awayar Balloon Field in Taung­gyi, under the supervision of the Shan State government. Run­ning from 11 to 17 November, the event features a variety of activities, including daytime and nighttime hot-air balloon com­petitions, lantern processions, traditional Mathoe robe-weav­ing contests, trade promotion events, and musical performanc­es. As of 17 November, the cel­ebrations continued into their seventh day.

Visitors to the festival have shared their impressions of the lively event. Ma Aye Chan Moe, a local from Taunggyi Township, described her excitement: “I came to enjoy the hot-air bal­loon festival. During the day, you can see decorative bal­loons, and at night, there are grand nighttime balloons, in­cluding the stunning Diamond Earrings-shaped balloons. The daytime balloons were crafted into various shapes, such as two-legged or four-legged ani­mals, and they were incredibly intricate and captivating. Watch­ing them brought immense joy. The festival also was bustling market stalls, adding to the vi­brant atmosphere”.

A male visitor shared his experience, saying: “The day­time balloons soaring into the sky were breathtaking. I saw balloons shaped as single fig­ures, pairs, or even groups of three, designed as two-legged or four-legged creatures. Al­though some balloons caught fire during launching, the lively atmosphere and the audience’s excitement were unforgettable”.

Between 11 and 16 Novem­ber, the festival saw 271 hot-air balloons launched as part of the competitions. These included 19 ‘Seinnaban’ Diamond Ear­rings-shaped balloons, 22 grand nighttime balloons, and 174 decorative daytime balloons. The remaining 42 balloons — three ‘Seinnaban’ balloons, four grand nighttime balloons, and 35 daytime decorative balloons — were launched before the fes­tival concludes on 17 November. — Shan State IPRD/TMT