Lift Off Abel Tasman to light up the skies

Friday 31st August 2018

Lift Off Abel Tasman to light up the skies on Labour Weekend 2018

A major new festival for Nelson Tasman is set to become a unique highlight of the event calendar.

Local tourism operators are behind the Lift Off Abel Tasman Festival featuring two days of aerial adventure and fun over Labour Weekend 2018.

This exciting new event will include spectacular hot air balloon night glows, sky diving exhibitions (and a ‘halo’ skydive New Zealand record attempt), scenic flights, fireworks, music, entertainment, food and more.

Lift Off Abel Tasman will showcase Motueka as a world class adventure aviation hub and celebrate the amazing beauty of the Nelson Tasman region.

Tickets will go on sale on Monday 3rd September at https://www.liftoff.nz/ and from Motueka iSite.

The festival has wide ranging support from Tasman District Council, Nelson Regional Development Agency, Tasman Bay Promotions Association, Our Town Motueka, Nelson Airport , Sport Tasman and tourism operators including Wilsons Abel Tasman, Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle, AquaTaxi, Skydive Abel Tasman, Waka Abel Tasman and Abel Tasman Canyoning.

More than 60 people came to the launch event last night (Thursday 30th August) to hear from event organisers and also the four local charities that will benefit from the event.

Event organiser Johny O’Donnell said: “The Lift Off Abel Tasman Festival will create an amazing festival vibe for Motueka that the town has never seen before. I am delighted that the community and tourism operators has got behind this event. It will be amazing.”

The first day of festivities at Motueka Airport, Lift Off Festival Motueka on Saturday 20th October will be family oriented, while the second day at world famous Kaiteriteri Beach onSunday 21st October will have a beach party theme. Balloons on the Beach will feature what’s believed to be the first ever hot air balloon night glow on the beach.

Night glows are an increasingly popular global phenomenon that attract people in their thousands. A similar event in the Waikato, Balloons Over Waikato, has become Hamilton’s biggest night out and has been voted best Waikato event six times by the people of Hamilton.

Local tourism operator, entrepreneur and event organiser Carsten Buschkuehle is a hot air balloon enthusiast who has organised similar events in his native Germany.

Carsten said: “I proposed this event because I have seen how similar events have boosted local communities elsewhere. I wanted to do something positive for the region I now call home. Lift Off Abel Tasman is a way of connecting the community and tourism operators, kicking off the new spring/summer tourist season and raising money for community projects at the same time. It’s great to see my fellow tourism operators and the community getting behind Lift Off Abel Tasman.”

Carsten is co-owner of Nelson Tasman Air, one of several aviation operators based at Motueka Airport that also includes Skydive Abel Tasman.

Skydive Abel Tasman CEO Stuart Bean said: “We’ve been operating locally for 25 years and this is the most exciting and innovative event we’ve ever been part of. It’s a great opportunity for the community and a brilliant showcase for visitors.

“Many people don’t realise what a fantastic adventure aviation hub we have at Motueka Airport. Lift Off Abel Tasman will give people the opportunity to experience what we have to offer.”

Profits from Lift Off Abel Tasman will go directly back into the community, with 50 per cent being set aside for future local events and the remaining 50 per cent going to local charitable causes. Representatives from the four charities that will benefit spoke at the launch:

• Motueka Community Pool

• Tasman Bay Guardians

• Abel Tasman Eco Tours

• Project Janszoon

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