Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
Encyclopedia
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is held annually during August in Bristol
, England. Teams from the UK and other parts of the world bring their hot air balloons to the site and participate in mass ascents where as many as 100 balloons may launch at a time.
The event was first held in 1979 and is now one of the largest in Europe. It is common to have crowds of over 100,000 on each of the four days of the festival. It takes place in a large country estate Ashton Court
. Mass launches are made twice a day, at 6am and 6pm, subject to weather conditions.
One popular attraction is the night glow
, when balloons are inflated and glow to music after dark. These are held on the opening Thursday night at approx 9:30pm, followed by a spectacular fireworks display. There is another night glow at the same time followed by the fireworks on the Saturday night. Some people see these as the highlight of the fiesta.
The balloon makers, Cameron Balloons
are near to the fiesta site, in Bedminster, and make many of the special shaped balloons, which have included Rupert the Bear, The Scottish Piper, Bertie Bassett, and the Tesco Trolley. Many shapes have also attended the fiesta from abroad, over the years a UFO and a beaver have travelled from the USA, a Kiwi Bird from New Zealand, and an upside down balloon from Holland.
In the past, the fiesta used to be held in the second week of September, but due to cancellations of flights and the muddy ground because of bad weather, it has been moved in the start of August. This had had a great effect as more flights manage to fly, cancellations are now normally due to high winds.
In 2003, the weight of crowds returning from the Balloon Fiesta and Ashton Court festival
put such a great strain on the Clifton Suspension Bridge
that it was decided to close the bridge to all traffic, including pedestrians, during these events from 2004 onwards.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England. Teams from the UK and other parts of the world bring their hot air balloons to the site and participate in mass ascents where as many as 100 balloons may launch at a time.
The event was first held in 1979 and is now one of the largest in Europe. It is common to have crowds of over 100,000 on each of the four days of the festival. It takes place in a large country estate Ashton Court
Ashton Court
Ashton Court is a mansion house and estate to the west of Bristol in England. Although the estate lies mainly in North Somerset, it is owned by the City of Bristol. The estate has been a venue for a variety of leisure activities, including the now-defunct Ashton Court festival, Bristol...
. Mass launches are made twice a day, at 6am and 6pm, subject to weather conditions.
Night glow
A night glow is an event that is often held as a climax to a hot air balloon festival. The balloons are set up at sunset in the launch area, an open field, or a football stadium and are inflated as if they are going to take off. But instead of being allowed to ascend, they are held down by the...
, when balloons are inflated and glow to music after dark. These are held on the opening Thursday night at approx 9:30pm, followed by a spectacular fireworks display. There is another night glow at the same time followed by the fireworks on the Saturday night. Some people see these as the highlight of the fiesta.
The balloon makers, Cameron Balloons
Cameron Balloons
Cameron Balloons is a company established in 1971 in Bristol, England by Don Cameron to manufacture hot air balloons. Cameron had previously, with others, constructed ten hot air balloons under the name Omega. Production was in the basement of his house, moving in 1972 to an old church in the city...
are near to the fiesta site, in Bedminster, and make many of the special shaped balloons, which have included Rupert the Bear, The Scottish Piper, Bertie Bassett, and the Tesco Trolley. Many shapes have also attended the fiesta from abroad, over the years a UFO and a beaver have travelled from the USA, a Kiwi Bird from New Zealand, and an upside down balloon from Holland.
In the past, the fiesta used to be held in the second week of September, but due to cancellations of flights and the muddy ground because of bad weather, it has been moved in the start of August. This had had a great effect as more flights manage to fly, cancellations are now normally due to high winds.
In 2003, the weight of crowds returning from the Balloon Fiesta and Ashton Court festival
Ashton Court Festival
The Ashton Court Festival was an outdoor music festival held annually in mid-July on the grounds of Ashton Court, just outside Bristol, England. The festival was a weekend event which featured a variety of local bands and national headliners...
put such a great strain on the Clifton Suspension Bridge
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Brunel died in 1859, without seeing the completion of the bridge. Brunel's colleagues in the Institution of Civil Engineers felt that completion of the Bridge would be a fitting memorial, and started to raise new funds...
that it was decided to close the bridge to all traffic, including pedestrians, during these events from 2004 onwards.