Last month saw the welcome return of the Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta, a key event in the hot air ballooning calendar of Britain. This year, the Fiesta returned bigger and better than before with a star-studded line-up of celebrity guests and events to delight visitors. The Knavesmire area, in North Yorkshire, welcomed visitors from all across the country to the ballooning bonanza.
Amongst the array of balloons that descended on the Yorkshire landscape over the three-day event, balloons shaped like ladybirds, dragons, a dinosaur, a pirate ship and cartoon characters wowed the crowds. Each morning, the festival kicked off with a mass ascent. Night glows – iconic parts of any ballooning gathering – took place on Friday and Saturday. Sunday evening, a firework finale closed the weekend.
Throughout the event, visitors were able to make the most of a funfair, a stunt show and encounters with birds of prey. Tethered balloons enabled guests to get up close to the balloons and pilots. Celebrity singers, as well as jazz and big band musicians kept visitors entertained until late.
Proceeds from the event went to support three local charities. The St Leonard’s Hospice, which supports families through bereavement, was one of these. The York Rescue Boat and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance which also provide key support services to the local community were others.
Ballooning has never been more popular. To experience this sort of magic for yourself, we offer hot air balloon flights in the skies over Bristol, Bath and other parts of the southwest.
