NORTHAMPTON BALLOON FESTIVAL / AMERICAN AUTOCLUB MEET

SusiBus · May 24, 2013

16/17/18 AUGUST 2013

If a few people are interested, I’m willing to co-ordinate attending this event which I’m sure will be a fun filled, full-on weekend.

It’s the busiest weekend at Billing Aquadrome, so they will only take bookings for a minimum of 3 nights at a cost of £70. This includes Cali and up to 4 people, entry to the Balloon Festival (the second largest in the UK), and the American Auto Meet. There are bars on site and probably some live music :thumb

- not your quiet weekend - but lots to do both for adults and children, or some water to chill out by. If we don’t require hook ups, they told me they should be able to find us our own area.

Look at billingaquadrome.com for further info.

Post on here if you’re interested and send us a PM

Andy · May 24, 2013

Hi Graham how was scotland ?

I up for it & as Northampton is only 15 miles from me I may even get to spend all three nights there as well ! Depends what rubbish they give me on Monday at work. Do we need to pay a deposit, all in advance or on arrival ?
We don't need ehu do we ?? That's the whole point of the cali is it not ?

Went to Northampton Balloon Festival about 8 years ago when it was held in the town itself, I guess it out grew the park & moved to Billing. Should be a great weekend.

http://www.thenorthamptonballoonfestival.co.uk/

Californiaman · May 24, 2013

We are in!

lonsdale13 · May 24, 2013

Having missed COTF this could certainly be our first Cali meet so put us on the list please, it is a shame camping is at Billing as it is a terrible campsite when we went there last year with the grand kids, they had so many bad reviews on UK Campsite including one from us which they now seemed to have removed all of them http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/revie ... revid=1370

Californiaman · May 24, 2013

A friend at work stayed there earlier this year and ended up surrounded by "Pikeys". There was a disturbance overnight that resulted in damage to his caravan. He moved...

I assume that we can camp in a decent area and keep the riff-raff at bay...

lonsdale13 · May 24, 2013

We had the police attend three times in 48 hours on the touring field, just looked on Trip Advisor and things dont seem to have improved http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Revi ... ml#REVIEWS 78 terrible reviews (shocked)

it would be good to know if we are in a different area with clean facilities

SimplyDubs · May 24, 2013

We live only a couple of miles away and don't go to the balloon festival at Billling...

The balloon festival in the town (Racecourse) used to be incredible but they then merged it with the town show and things started to deteriorate.

Tried the first year at Billing and there was a total of around 8 balloons... Not impressed.

The fact in 2012, they appear to still have the balloons in a very small field next to the dual carriageway suggests its still a relatively small affair.

I'm sure things have changed but it's still nowhere near the show it used to be, which is a great shame.

I'd recommend the Bristol Fiesta which is incredible, last year over 100 balloons in a single launch!

So lets put it this way, we wouldn't bother travelling 4 miles to Northampton but happily travel 120 to Bristol.

The American car show is usually well worth looking at though which we may well pop into.

All just my opinion though and no doubt some people really enjoy it and it could only be improved by getting a group of Cali's in there. Definitely push for your own area if you get enough people.

Regards

Mark

Californiaman · May 24, 2013

..and some machine guns.

Maybe we'll give it a miss then if it is that bad. I must admit to having hear a LOT of negative feedback. Such a shame as it could/should be a fantastic venue.

Mark (Simplydubs) didn't realise we are nearly neighbors - we're near Daventry. You parked in front of us at Worcester.. :hello :hello

SusiBus · May 24, 2013

IDEA CANCELLED

As a retired balloon pilot, I had great family memories of this event over many years when the festival was held at the Northampton Race Course. It seems though that local knowledge indicates the event is not half of what it used to be, which is a shame because I thought that balloons in combination with American classic cars and loads of kids’ activities would have made a great weekend.

I think therefore that it is best to kill the idea off now. :cry:

The team that organised COTF did a wonderful job so I think it is up the rest of us to come up with some other ideas. I’ll try and come up with a better idea next time!!

Californiaman · May 24, 2013

It was a great idea...

Martin · May 24, 2013

Thanks for trying Graham, keep more idea's coming as we have enough members now to get some good regional meets going, be it a weekend away or an afternoon in a pub car park somewhere. Also if anyone else fancies arranging something just let us know and we can help promote it.

SimplyDubs · May 25, 2013

It was a good idea indeed, possibly just not for us at this time.

Keep those ideas coming, I always look forward to meeting up with other Cali owners and capering types... Kindred spirits you might say.

Californiaman said:
Mark (Simplydubs) didn't realise we are nearly neighbors - we're near Daventry. You parked in front of us at Worcester.. :hello :hello

Indeed, very close as we are near J15 of the M1... must get together for a beer or two some time. :thumb