Hot air balloons above Bristol city centre, England
© Rich Jones Photography/Moment/Getty Image
Up, up and hooray!. Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
It all started with an idea shared over a pint. Today, that conversation has grown into Europe's largest annual hot air balloon festival. Every summer, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta fills the skies above Ashton Court Estate with more than 100 colourful balloons, attracting over half a million visitors.
Founded in 1979 by aeronautical engineer Don Cameron and fellow balloon enthusiasts, it has become one of Bristol's most iconic events. Many of its quirky special-shape balloons, including a Minion, Rupert the Bear and even a giant Tesco trolley, were built by Bristol-based Cameron Balloons, the world's largest hot air balloon manufacturer.
The weather always has the final say, with each 6am and 6pm launch dependent on careful flight-safety assessments. When conditions are right, the mass ascents are spectacular. After dark, the iconic Night Glow takes centre stage as tethered balloons illuminate the sky in sync with music. The fiesta has also embraced innovation, hosting the maiden flight of a hybrid solar-powered hot air balloon in 2015.
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