There's no sight quite like seeing the skies fill up with colour during Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. This quintessentially Bristolian event is a firm favourite on the city's cultural calendar and has been greatly missed over the past few years.
The festival is making an anticipated return to Ashton Court this year after the Covid pandemic forced organisers to cancel the festival in 2020 and 2021. But residents were treated to special community flyovers last summer, and the festival teased its triumphant return on Monday (August 1) with some pre-festival flights from Vassells Park in Fishponds and Cleve Rugby Club in Emersons Green.
From Thursday, August 11, festivalgoers will be heading back to its familiar Long Ashton spot where some 100 balloons from around the world will be launched, with approximately 500,000 visitors expected across the four-day period. The event has been free of charge since it was founded in 1979, made possible this year by the festival's sponsorship from Costa Coffee.
