After being halted due to COVID-19, Bristol's most spectacular festival will be making an exciting return in summer. Europe’s largest annual ballooning event will once again be taking over Ashton Court this August.
Celebrating its 44th year, the sensational Bristol International Balloon Fiesta returns to its home and will once again attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world to witness one of the most stunning sights in the UK. The spectacular free event on the mansion grounds will feature four days of over 100 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes taking off at dusk and dawn, taking in views of the city - including, if the wind direction allows, views of the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
The Balloon Fiesta team plans to make this a year to remember for balloon enthusiasts and keen spectators, after crowds were excluded from the event last year and in 2020 due to the pandemic, with fly-pasts organised instead. As well as the balloon ascents this year there will be entertainment for all the family throughout the day, including aerial displays, children’s activities and entertainment, fairground rides, delicious food stalls and bars, balloon tethering and demonstrations, model aircraft displays and a local music stage.
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Don Cameron, founder and chairman of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, commented: “After a difficult two years for our communities and of course many of our balloonists, we are delighted to be bringing the fiesta back home to Ashton Court. We are hoping for sunny skies and light winds as many new balloons will take to the skies alongside some old favourites from the UK and lots of international destinations. We’re proud to be able to continue putting on a show for Bristol and helping put the city on the map as a ballooning capital.”
Costa Coffee will return with its summer experience ‘A Coffee With’, through which alongside grabbing a hot or cold drink from one of their Costa Express machines you can meet pilots, explore inside inflated hot air balloons and catch storytelling and crafts for all the family.
The Costa Coffee team will also be fuelling the pilots ahead of their flights and helping to bring last year’s incredibly popular community flights back for a second year. Bristolians will be able to nominate locations for pre-fiesta balloon lifts from their local parks, school grounds and open spaces, bringing colourful hot air balloons to the skies across Bristol.
And the favourite event of many will also be back to enjoy. On Thursday and Sunday night the famous Nightglows will return, which see the balloons light up in time with a soundtrack provided by BBC Radio Bristol, followed by a spectacular firework display.
From Thursday August 11 to Sunday August 14, all can enjoy the usual exciting festivities including mass balloon ascents at 6am and 6pm and two iconic nightglows lighting up summer.
