It didn’t occur to me that a giant balloon that looked like the moon would be taken to heart and soon become part of the Bridgwater Community. Ha, Lunacy!

But it did.

Luke Jerram devised a giant inflatable moon. Exact and precise. And he got Camerons balloons (who he lived next door to) to make it for him. Then he put it in Bridgwater docks. And people loved it. In fact, 7,000 people turned up on the Thursday night alone to see its nightglow and attached markets.

What it shows to me is that Bridgwater is far from the cultural wilderness of legend and  in fact appreciates stuff.

Of course it has its sceptics. As soon as the balloon mildly deflated one day people were in there saying ‘Ha normal for Bridgwater, vandalism no doubt’. But it wasn’t. It was a minor design flaw with the vent and the Town Council’s 3 people in a boat rescue team were in the water within minutes to pump it up and the townsfolk rejoiced.

Moon

And there was people who said ‘It doesn’t do much’. Not sure what they were expecting, ET to cycle round it on his bike? An American Werewolf in London to metamorphose before our eyes?

I guess these people go to the Louvre and say ‘Hmph, Mona Lisa didn’t do much! I’d have thought she’d have at least done the ‘hand jive’!”

And then someone said “Well, it’s nothing but an over inflated blimp!”. Of course they said that about Wayne Rooney and yet he scored goal after goal for England!

Moon

One young boy said “Mummy, will they put the moon back again afterwards?”

But that’s kind of the point. For centuries mankind has looked up into the skies and seen that moon. Worshipped it. Wondered about it. Realised it controlled our tides. And here it is. Close up in our docks. Best seen about 6pm and here till carnival. Putting Bridgwater on the map.

As we absolutely deserve to be.

Moon