Hot air balloons to fly over the city of London

A Hot Air Balloon Regatta will take place in the city of London during June 2016, to help raise funds and awareness of the Lord Mayor's Appeal. The inaugural balloon event took place last year and over 40 hot air balloons participated, flying between Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge and The Shard. The balloon flights took place for more than an hour, with surprised onlookers posting on social media and taking photographs of the spectacular event. Following the event, the regatta’s organisers deemed it a success and as a result, it was declared as an annual event. Every year, organisers will hope to attract around 50 hot air balloons to take part in the unique event, and give everyone the opportunity to see a parade of balloons flying through England’s capital. For this year’s event, the date is dependent on the weather, as hot air ballooning requires calm conditions. The first Sunday to have appropriate conditions in June will be the date for the Regatta. This will be either the 5th, 12th, 19th or 26th of June. When the date of the regatta is confirmed, the first balloons are scheduled to take off at around dawn, so enthusiasts will have to be up early to catch the first glimpses of take-off. As hot air balloon flights become a more familiar sight in the UK, an increasing number of people are tempted to hire one themselves, often for a special occasion or just for fun.