The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta took place over the weekend and saw more than 100 hot air balloons take to the skies to celebrate the event’s 40th anniversary.
The weather was a major factor over the course of the event, as heavy rain and wind caused chaos to the schedule, which saw the mass ascents of Thursday and Friday being cancelled. The first and ultimately only ascent came on the Saturday morning, with the first balloons taking off from the Ashton Court Estate at around 6am.
A total of 108 hot air balloons took part in this ascent to fill the Bristol skies with an array of colour. Balloons of different shapes and sizes were featured, which included the return of some popular balloons from festivals gone by, including Simbaloo the Lion and the Superbike.
A night glow took place on the Saturday evening, which is always a favourite amongst attendees and this year was no different. Despite it raining on the night, the balloons still lit their burners, with music and a fireworks display giving the crowd something to enjoy, as it was feared the night glow would also be cancelled.
The weather turned out to be a major factor, and the heavy winds and rain saw the final mass ascent on the Sunday cancelled, meaning that out of the seven scheduled ascents, only one successfully took place.
When the weather is more favourable for flying, balloon enthusiasts can experience their own hot air balloon ride in Bristol, Bath and all over the UK.
