Pyin Oo Lwin Tazaungdaing: 76 hot-air balloons competed in three main categories

Pyin Oo Lwin Tazaungdaing hot-air balloon festival is being celebrated from 4th to 8 November for five days and about 76 kind of hot-air balloons are being competed in three main categories in this year’s event.

The festival is divided into 2 parts, daytime and nighttime competitions. In the daytime, hot air-balloons are releasedin forms of various animals and mythical creatures. Hot air balloons with firework and fire cracker (NyaMeeGyi) and lot of lanterns are hanging in the hot air balloons (Seinnaban) are sent up in the night time.

Kyaw Htay Ko, Secretary, Hot-air Balloon Competition Organizing Comittee, said "The hot-air balloons are 24, 26 and 28-ft high. This year’s event is organized in short period and the number of hot-air balloons are not as much as the previous year. In event, the winner for the group competition of daytime is up to 5 lakhs. We will award 60 lakhs for the first prize in NyaMeeGyi competition and 20 lakhs for Seinnaban competition."  

Pyin Oo lwin Tazaungdaing fire balloon festival is a festival to pay homage to the sulamani pagoda by sending up decorated hot air balloons. The awarding ceremony will be held on 8th November in conjunction with the closing ceremony.