Balloons Over Waikato is one of Aotearoa’s most celebrated free community events. A multi-day hot air balloon festival held in Hamilton, the event brings families and visitors together to enjoy morning flights, communal celebrations, and the iconic ZURU Nightglow.

Unlike a traditional business website, this project was about community engagement, event accessibility, and clear communication of schedules and activities.

To simplify the content structure, instead of a heavyweight navigation system, we refined the layout so key festival details such as dates, event highlights, pilot information, and community activities, are easy to find and understand. The new site framework is designed to dynamically accommodate annual content updates, with dedicated sections for specific events, including morning launches, Nightglow schedules, balloon rides, and community outreach events. For an audience centered dsign, the site prioritises clarity above all, from “What’s On” details to how visitors can get involved as pilots, volunteers or vendors. With huge local interest and diversified attendees, the website was designed to perform well on all devices, ensuring anyone planning their day at Balloons Over Waikato gets the information they need quickly.

For a festival with such an international reach and broad appeal to the community, the website serves as both a hub of information and a point of excitement for attendees. Our work helps ensure that communities across the Waikato (both first-timers and returning balloon enthusiasts) know exactly what to expect and how to be part of the magic.