Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

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  • EthylTheAardvark
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2016
    • 143

    Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

    One of my bucket list items is to attend a balloon convention, looks like a big one's coming in March 2021

  • LoneLoonRider
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2017
    • 137

    #2
    Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

    Seems like it's more for vendors and industry professionals, not necessarily attendees or open to the public. It would be cool to go sometime though!

    Comment

    • BYGavia
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2017
      • 246

      #3
      Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

      Originally posted by LoneLoonRider
      Seems like it's more for vendors and industry professionals, not necessarily attendees or open to the public. It would be cool to go sometime though!
      Exactly. Wouldn’t mind going to gawk at the designs people (presumably) come up with.

      Comment

      • Nopops4me
        Senior Member
        • Jun 2015
        • 519

        #4
        Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

        If you don't have business links, you could maybe book in as an ambitious newcomer art student.
        Something I would've liked to visit but too far for popping (sorry) over the 'pond' for a day out.
        How many balloons do they get through? Looking at 2018 clip it must be thousands. No wonder Qualatex are pricey or do participants have to buy their balloons to exhibit?

        Comment

        • EthylTheAardvark
          Senior Member
          • Nov 2016
          • 143

          #5
          Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

          Originally posted by LoneLoonRider
          Seems like it's more for vendors and industry professionals, not necessarily attendees or open to the public. It would be cool to go sometime though!
          I imagine they get at least a few tourists, although from what I could find, the convention admission price is moderately steep (Neighborhood of 5 or 6 hundred bucks.) But I think it'd be worth it just to see some of the sculptures that get done. Some of the previous year ones look pretty amazing.

          Comment

          • BalloonBoyUK
            Banned
            • Dec 2018
            • 500

            #6
            Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

            As others have rightly pointed-out, these conventions are for vendors, and balloon-decorators. You have to be a Qualatex distributor, registered balloon artist, or sales person to attend, and even then, the price to attend is several hundred pounds, plus you then have to pay travel on top. It's not cheap, or even within the remit of most looners, sadly.

            Whether Qualatex would let you attend, as a visitor, is highly unlikely. The events tend to be business themed/related, and including decorating competitions, demonstrations, talks and other associated "business" stuff. And, no, visitors supply their own balloons for any works of art that they do, or the balloons can be bought from Qualatex (at cost price) during the event, if needed. But it's not for the public, I'm afraid.

            Comment

            • heleo
              Member
              • Aug 2015
              • 94

              #7
              Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

              Be wary,
              They have had issues with guys with camcorders in the past being too interested in the cleanup.

              Comment

              • BalloonBoyUK
                Banned
                • Dec 2018
                • 500

                #8
                Re: Anyone Doing The 2021 Balloon Convention?

                Originally posted by heleo
                Be wary,
                They have had issues with guys with camcorders in the past being too interested in the cleanup.

                I've heard this too. This is why the cost of attendance is so expensive: to keep away those who are going for ulterior reasons/motives. (The event didn't used to be so expensive, but then idiots started ruining it, and now this is why the attendance prices were jacked-up, sadly.)

                And to be honest, if I were someone going there for business purposes, I don't think I'd want regular folks attending with camcorders or mobile phones taking footage. Once someone has video/pics, you don't know where it might end-up, especially in this day-and-age.

                Sometimes we have to accept that some balloon-related events are NOT for looners, whether we like it or not.

                Comment

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