Eeklo to host new hot air balloon meeting in 2027

Eeklo is set to reignite its tradition of hosting a hot air balloon meeting, with the first official event scheduled for July 21, 2027. This marks a significant return for the city, which was once known as a "balloon city" for 34 consecutive years before the meeting relocated to Deinze in 2020 due to subsidy disputes. The city council plans a phased approach, starting with a test edition next year to gauge interest and refine logistics before scaling up.

“

Next year will be a test edition, to allow for future growth.

"Next year will be a test edition, to allow for future growth," stated Gertjan Blomme, alderman for Events. The ambition is to make the balloon meeting an annual fixture, held on Belgium's national holiday, potentially extending to the eve of the holiday as well. Looking further ahead, Eeklo plans to organize a special event in 2030 to commemorate Belgium's 200th anniversary.

“

The intention is to hold a balloon meeting every year on the national holiday, possibly also on the eve thereof.

The renewed initiative is being driven by local efforts, with Blomme emphasizing that the city has learned from hosting other large events, such as the "1,000 km for Kom op tegen Kanker." He clarified that the goal is not to lure back the AVS Balloon Meeting from Deinze but to establish a distinct Eeklo event. This will be a collaborative effort involving local entrepreneurs and enthusiastic balloonists who have expressed a desire to fly and ascend in groups from Eeklo again.

“

We are going to start small, and are currently brainstorming ideas, but we especially want to focus on the balloons.

Blomme highlighted the presence of prominent local balloonists, including Madou, described as one of Flanders' largest balloonists, as a key asset. He noted the significant public turnout when Madou recently presented three new balloons, reinforcing Eeklo's identity as a "real balloon city." The chosen location for the revived meeting will be the familiar grounds behind the sports hall, offering ample space and potential for the event. The organizers intend to start modestly, focusing on the core attraction: the balloons themselves.

“

With Madou, Eeklo has one of the largest balloonists in Flanders. If you see how many people came to watch last year when he presented 3 new balloons, then you know: Eeklo is a real balloon city. We are going to work on that again.