Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Darth Vader to reign supreme at Balloons over Waikato

Hamilton News
12 Feb, 2019 01:38 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The force returns: the Darth Vader special shape will be a star turn at Balloons Over Waikato this year. Photo/ Supplied

The force returns: the Darth Vader special shape will be a star turn at Balloons Over Waikato this year. Photo/ Supplied

Balloons over Waikato is back Tuesday March 19 to Saturday March 23 and to celebrate 20 years some of the most loved special shapes are returning - including Darth Vader.

Announcing the first special shape on Tuesday, the festival organisers say it is the most requested and one of the most loved of all the past Special Shaped balloons.

Event manager, Michele Connell, says she is thrilled to have the Star Wars villain return after first bringing the force to the Waikato in 2008.

"Being our 20th birthday, we wanted to celebrate and commemorate the past 20 years. Without doubt, Darth has been one of our stand out special shapes," she says.

"We know he will excite a new generation of children around the Waikato, and we are looking forward to seeing him reign supreme over the Zuru Nightglow."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Darth Vader was built in 2007 with full approval from George Lucas Films. Darth's pilot and balloon owner Benoit Lambert, is a huge Star Wars fan. The pilot, from Belgium, came up with the idea to create the Darth Vader helmet special shape and worked with Lucas Films in secret during the design and build process.

The 26m high, 290kg balloon took eight weeks to manufacture, and is now one of the most popular Special Shape balloons on the ballooning circuit.

Everyone is invited to Balloons over Waikato's 20th Birthday with five days of flying planned from Innes Common in Hamilton each morning.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There will also be balloon visits to Thames and Cambridge, the much loved HCBA City Burn & Markets and Hamilton's big night out, The ZURU Nightglow
Don't miss your chance to join the force and meet Darth Vader.

Balloons over Waikato, starting Tuesday March 19 and finishing after the ZURU Nightglow on Saturday March 23.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

Sleep like a Queen: Bedroom suite made for Elizabeth II to go up for auction

Waikato Herald

'Frustration and exhaustion': Waikato teachers strike over pay concerns

Waikato Herald

Young Waikato Pacific community advocate recognised in Y25 list


Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Sleep like a Queen: Bedroom suite made for Elizabeth II to go up for auction
Waikato Herald

Sleep like a Queen: Bedroom suite made for Elizabeth II to go up for auction

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip used the suite when they visited Hamilton in 1953.

21 Aug 02:21 AM
'Frustration and exhaustion': Waikato teachers strike over pay concerns
Waikato Herald

'Frustration and exhaustion': Waikato teachers strike over pay concerns

20 Aug 10:51 PM
Young Waikato Pacific community advocate recognised in Y25 list
Waikato Herald

Young Waikato Pacific community advocate recognised in Y25 list

20 Aug 06:00 PM


Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet
Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

10 Aug 09:12 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP