When I lived in the town of Northampton I lived a couple of streets away from the racecourse where the balloon festival was held, a few days before it started the balloonists would test the balloons over the skys of Northampton and all the family would sit outside the front door watching the balloons going overhead it was spectacular, and you felt as if the balloons were really close to you.

When the balloon festival started my brothers and me would walk down to the racecourse early in the morning and watch the balloonists firering the balloons testing them and al the balloonists would all be in the arena firering up, it was great. They have a radio station, which me and my brothers would hang around next to for a while. We then went to look at all the different stalls to see what freebies we could get and then go home for dinner before setting off late afternoon for some more action and fun. We would watch the acts doing their bit in one of the arenas, and then moving on to where the balloons would be getting ready for their evening launch and we always hoped the weather conditions would be right for the balloons to take off so we could watch all these balloons take to the sky's.

We watched and visited for many years, and when I was old enough I finally got to go in the beer tents - but not to get drunk just to have the odd drink, I still enjoy it now. The last time I went was 3 years ago my oldest son nearly got lost through the crowds of people and it really worried me and my partner and decided to leave it till he got a bit older. We are planning making a day of it this year and are looking forward to it with great anticipation.

The balloon festival is a great family event and is well worth a visit, what I would say is make sure you have the younger children properly harnessed as it is very easy for them to get lost through the crowds.