Taunggyi Tazaungdaing Hot Air Balloon Festival to Commence on November 18

The Taunggyi Tazaungdaing Hot Air Balloon Festival is expected to commence on November 18, according to the festival organizing committee. The festival is scheduled to begin on November 18, 2026, and will last for seven days until the full moon day of Tazaungmon on the 24th. An awards ceremony is planned for November 25. This was decided at a meeting of the Shan State government held on September 15. "It will be held from November 18 to 24. We are currently collecting the number of hot air balloons, so the exact dates are not yet known. If the number of hot air balloons increases, the festival dates may be extended. For now, it is a provisional decision," said U Soe Nyunt Shwe, Director of the Shan State Department of Information and Public Relations. In 2026, the government will continue to support the hot air balloon teams participating in the Tazaungdaing competition by providing six types of pyrotechnic materials equivalent to 100 million kyats per team, similar to previous years. Furthermore, 50,000 kyats will be provided to support the decorative balloons launched during the day, according to U Tin Win from the Shan State Traditional Hot Air Balloon Technicians Association. "Currently, we have registered 43 balloons, and if we include the Kambawza balloons, it will be over 50. We don't know yet if more will be added. This year, the government is providing financial support, which is a cause for joy. In reality, for small teams and individual operators, the cost can exceed 400 to 500 million kyats, making it very difficult. Since the government is providing assistance, we are happy on behalf of the balloon teams," said Sai Aung Myo from the Shan State Traditional Hot Air Balloon Technicians Association. In Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, the annual traditional Tazaungdaing Hot Air Balloon Festival typically includes daytime and nighttime balloon launches, a weaving competition for Maso Sin Kyaw, a city-wide Maha Bon Kathin festival, and a nighttime parade of Padetha lanterns. It is anticipated that the number of teams participating in the nighttime large balloon competition at this year's Taunggyi Tazaungdaing Hot Air Balloon Festival may increase, and it is expected to be more vibrant than in previous years. Following a hiatus of over three years due to the global COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020, the years since its resumption have been the most vibrant, attracting millions of visitors. This year, due to rising commodity prices in line with the times, the cost, which previously ran into hundreds of millions of kyats, has increased by about four to five times at current prices. Consequently, small balloon team leaders participating in the competition are facing financial difficulties with their initial investment costs. News and Photos - Sai Htar (Taunggyi)