Europe's biggest hot air ballooning event, Bristol's Balloon Fiesta kicked off last Thursday with the launch (above) of the first flight of the fiesta, and Stuart the Minion's first flight ever.
I arrived at Ashton Court at about 6:30pm on the Thursday evening, having fought through painfully slow traffic to get there, and met my friend and her family on the hill above the launch pad (a big square of grass that the balloons were on). I had expected the location to be heaving with people, having spent probably an hour at the fiesta last year just trying to leave on the Saturday. But there was a nice amount of people there, just what I needed after a long Thursday at work, relaxing on the hill waiting for the balloons to set off. Having said that, the Balloon Fiesta was said to have attracted 500,000 to Bristol that weekend, so it was definitely a busy one.
I arrived at Ashton Court at about 6:30pm on the Thursday evening, having fought through painfully slow traffic to get there, and met my friend and her family on the hill above the launch pad (a big square of grass that the balloons were on). I had expected the location to be heaving with people, having spent probably an hour at the fiesta last year just trying to leave on the Saturday. But there was a nice amount of people there, just what I needed after a long Thursday at work, relaxing on the hill waiting for the balloons to set off. Having said that, the Balloon Fiesta was said to have attracted 500,000 to Bristol that weekend, so it was definitely a busy one.
The balloons were mostly deflated by the time I had sat down with my friend, and were being held down by long pieces of rope with tugging men and women on the other end of them. As the balloons gradually began to rise to an upright position, the people holding the ropes were being dragged forward with it, but amazingly still managed to hold the giant masses of air.
I found it all very exciting, as did my 21 year old friend and her sisters in their 20s and 30s. The kids at this point didn't seem particularly interested until the first balloon set sail. In true Bristol fashion, the BRISTOL BALLOONS hot air balloon launched first, and we all waved up at the cluster of people waving back at us.
I found it all very exciting, as did my 21 year old friend and her sisters in their 20s and 30s. The kids at this point didn't seem particularly interested until the first balloon set sail. In true Bristol fashion, the BRISTOL BALLOONS hot air balloon launched first, and we all waved up at the cluster of people waving back at us.
My friend commented that she would squirt water down if she was in a balloon, and moments later the driver of another balloon started firing water down at our gawping excitable faces from a water gun. This all continued for about an hour, as one by one the balloons went up and we followed them with our bodies, spinning round to Ashton Gate to see them drift down behind the hill and carry on over central Bristol. Stuart the Minion however, rose from the ground, faced away from his fans, and appeared to stop and land behind the tree behind us. Clearly exhausted from his first flight. On the Friday all the excitement of the previous day had him torn and rushed to A&E at his factory. Luckily a spare was on hand for his flight on the Saturday. Phew.
We stayed for about an hour in total on the Friday, missing the night glow as we all had to head home for various reasons (but heard that it was beautiful). But the hour had felt long enough, and we all caught a good amount of ballooning atmosphere.
We stayed for about an hour in total on the Friday, missing the night glow as we all had to head home for various reasons (but heard that it was beautiful). But the hour had felt long enough, and we all caught a good amount of ballooning atmosphere.
My sisters and mum headed down for fiesta fun on the Saturday on my behalf and also had great things to say, aside from the spaghetting queues for the loos, which my sister has asked me to mention especially. They stayed there for most of the afternoon enjoying the warm (although not hugely sunny) weather and festival spirit.
A few friends headed down on the Sunday which was apparently somewhat a let down with the balloons hardly leaving the ground and there not being much else to see. Things had begun to fizzle out down at Aston Court by this time due to unfortunate strong winds, leaving little atmosphere and few balloons.
For the first time this year Bristol's Balloon Fiesta has introduced the camping option for those travelling far and wide (and believe me they do) to see our famous balloons.
A few friends headed down on the Sunday which was apparently somewhat a let down with the balloons hardly leaving the ground and there not being much else to see. Things had begun to fizzle out down at Aston Court by this time due to unfortunate strong winds, leaving little atmosphere and few balloons.
For the first time this year Bristol's Balloon Fiesta has introduced the camping option for those travelling far and wide (and believe me they do) to see our famous balloons.
A number of factors tempt me toward this option:
- NO TRAFFIC. If you live in and around Bristol you will have either sat in it or heard others moan your ears dry about it. Despite this, there were apparently less traffic issues than other years this year. But the camping option enables you to stay at the fiesta as long as you want to without having to worry about how long it will take you to get home.
- NIGHT GLOW. This normally begins at 9pm on the first three nights, and is famously spectacular - always fiesta fans' highlight of the weekend. Camping would mean you can stay right until the end and then sludge off to your tent and flop into bed.
- DRINKING. If your tent is pitched up nearby, the fact that you drove to Ashton Court that day will no longer be the reason you don't have a few beers with the lads or share a bit of wine as you watch the night glow. This way you can kick back and relax and collapse exhausted at the end of it all. If that's what you fancy.
- BEAT THE CROWDS. If you didn't drink too much the night before you can get up early, miss all the crowds, and beat them to the best spot on the hill or the patch of grass next to the chip cart.
So despite living not very far from the centre of Bristol, I may consider camping out at next year's Balloon Fiesta and getting a full flavour for the weekend, soaking up every minute of it, and allowing my readers a more well rounded review. And for my lack of that this year, I am sorry.
This year had people and the organisers saying it was the best year of the Fiesta for many years, with a new record of 74 set for the highest number of balloons landing in one place. The world famous aerobatic team, the Red Arrows made a spectacular 400 mph appearance on the Friday of the fiesta, with organisers trying to spread out the fiesta's main attractions, meaning that the day was much busier than other years. The event also included music, a fair ground, and the Breitling Wingwalkers, an all-female team performing tricks, flips and handstands on the wings of two Boeing Stearman biplanes. Gutted to have missed this!
Though this fiesta is very much weather dependent, the atmosphere is good enough that you can enjoy yourself (whatever age) whether the balloons give their 100% attendance or not. Bring a few friends, bring a rug and some grub (food is pretty pricey) and mill about at one of Bristol's best known Fiestas.
This year had people and the organisers saying it was the best year of the Fiesta for many years, with a new record of 74 set for the highest number of balloons landing in one place. The world famous aerobatic team, the Red Arrows made a spectacular 400 mph appearance on the Friday of the fiesta, with organisers trying to spread out the fiesta's main attractions, meaning that the day was much busier than other years. The event also included music, a fair ground, and the Breitling Wingwalkers, an all-female team performing tricks, flips and handstands on the wings of two Boeing Stearman biplanes. Gutted to have missed this!
Though this fiesta is very much weather dependent, the atmosphere is good enough that you can enjoy yourself (whatever age) whether the balloons give their 100% attendance or not. Bring a few friends, bring a rug and some grub (food is pretty pricey) and mill about at one of Bristol's best known Fiestas.