Overview
- Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao inaugurated the three-day festival at the Hyderabad Golf Club and took a nearly 1.5-hour flight covering about 13 kilometres to the Appajiguda outskirts.
- About 18 balloons conducted free-flying morning sorties on Day 1 carrying roughly 40 passengers, largely media and influencers, with subsequent morning venues to be set based on weather and wind.
- The evening program at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad featured tethered flights limited to about 50 feet for around seven minutes, drawing large crowds despite a delayed start.
- Officials said 133 tickets were sold for the first evening session, reflecting strong demand and tight capacity in the controlled-airspace setup.
- Tickets for morning flights are priced around ₹2,000 per person, while evening tethered and night-glow experiences carry nominal fees reported as low as ₹15, with the festival running through January 18.