(5 Sep 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hong Kong – 5 September 2025
1. Various of balloon team setting up hot air balloons in central business district, with shapes including heart and wolf
2. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Ruby Zhang, spectator and Chinese visitor:
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED++
"I’m really looking forward to seeing so many hot air balloons rise into the sky. With Victoria Harbour as the backdrop, it’s going to be absolutely beautiful."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hong Kong – 4 September 2025
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Alain Bard, hot air balloon designer from Ontario:
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED++
"So I am a hot air balloon designer, and during COVID, I wanted to find an idea for a new shape, and we just were thinking it was so sad that we wanted something to cheer everyone up, so a sun and a rainbow, and cloud on the other side just seems like the perfect choice during that time period. So we thought of it during COVID and I built it."
4. Various of hot air balloons designed by Alain Bard
5. SOUNDBITE (Cantonese) Mark Mak, Hong Kong citizen:
"This is very new to me, Hong Kong has never had such events before. We usually could only travel to Taiwan or other countries for hot air balloons.”
++NIGHT SHOTS++
6. Various of hot air balloons
STORYLINE:
Hong Kong is hosting its first hot air balloon festival in its central business district, with a giant panda and heart among the attractions.
Teams from Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia are showcasing colourful balloons against the city skyline.
The festival has attracted aficionados from across the world.
The most challenging part of the event is adapting to conditions around Victoria Harbour.
Because of harbour restrictions, pilots can only stage static displays, making it crucial to tie down the balloons securely.
Many teams have brought uniquely designed balloons, hoping to share joy with spectators.
After two hours of preparation, the propane was ignited and the balloons inflated.
They drew a large crowd of onlookers, with many capturing the moment on their phones.
As darkness fell, the balloons lit up against Hong Kong’s skyline.
AP video shot by Katie Tam and Elaine Lai
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