Sports and Leisure

Balloons Over Basingstoke is the areas biggest and brightest family event attracting an estimated 50,000 visitors.

It has been running under its current name and format since 1996, but the event began as long ago as 1990. The balloons weekend has since grown and grown with numerous conventional and special shaped balloons on display. This is an August event held yearly.

Outside the town centre, there is a large leisure park featuring the Aquadrome swimming pool, which opened in May 2002.

The park also includes an ice rink, Bowling Alley, Bingo club and a ten screen cinema, as well as a restaurant and fast food outlets.

The leisure park is home to the Milestones Museum which contains a network of streets and buildings based on the history of Hampshire.

Basingstoke has its own football team who play in the Conference South Division. The Basingstoke Rugby Football play in Rugby Football Union's South West League 1, and the Basingstoke Bison Ice Hockey team play in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Basingstoke also has a swimming team, known as the Basingstoke Bluefins.

The diversity of sporting activity in the area is illustrated by organisations such as Basingstoke Demons Floorball Club and Basingstoke Bulls Korfball Club.

The home ground of Basingstoke and North Hants Cricket Club, Mays Bounty was until 2000 used once a season by Hampshire County Cricket Club. Players such as Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar as well as Ashes winners Michael Vaughan, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard have graced the ground.  It was also where celebrated commentator and playwright John Arlott watched his first match. But in August 2008 County Cricket will return to May's Bounty.

In Portchester Square is the Basingstoke Sports Centre which has a subterranean swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room. Above ground there is a gym, aerobics studios, squash courts and main hall. There is also a playden for young children.

The town's nightlife is split between the Festival Square, and the traditional hostelries at the Top of Town, with a few local community pubs outside the central area. The town has four nightclubs, two in the town itself, one on the east side and one 2 miles (3 km) out to the west.

Basingstoke town centre is also home to a modern concert hall, The Anvil.