We were guests at the Frisian Balloon Festival in Joure, an event which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. We are sponsoring the event this year, which meant we were able to take to the skies ourselves. It turned out to be a day we won’t forget any time soon.

The Frisian Balloon Festivals have been one of the largest ballooning events in the Netherlands since 1986. From 15 to 19 July, colourful balloons will take to the skies above Joure and the Frisian lakes for five evenings, and we are proud to be supporting this anniversary year as a sponsor.


Before we climbed into the basket, we enjoyed a lovely meal, a great start to the evening and the perfect way to get into the spirit of things before the real adventure began.

The weather was perfect: calm and clear, just as you’d want it to be for a hot-air balloon ride. Once in the air, we were treated to a unique view of Joure and the surrounding Frisian lakes. It was a special experience, the sort you don’t get to have every day.

If you’d like to go and see for yourself: entry to the festival site is free. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the balloon spectacle concludes with a Night Glow, followed by performances by various artists on the music stage. During the day, there’s a family funfair on the site, for young and old alike.

It was a special experience, and a lovely way to be part of this anniversary year as a sponsor.