From 8th-10th August, Ashton Court once again welcomes the Bristol International Balloon fiesta, a free event that sees over a hundred hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes rising into the air twice a day for all to admire.
Those who have seen promotional content from UoB and UWE might’ve noticed that the hot air balloon has become something of an icon of Bristol, with photos from past BIB fiestas adorning university banners and websites.
But why Bristol?
Bristol’s first encounter with hot air balloons was not in the skies, but rather in the foyer of Cooper’s Hall, now the Bristol Old Vic theatre on King Street. The hot air balloon was inflated and deflated for three days in January 1784 as part of an art exhibition run by local artist Michael Biaggini, which cost two shillings and a sixpence to enter.
At that time, enthusiasm for hot air balloons deflated almost as quickly as the objects themselves, fading into irrelevance in the face of newer, faster light aircraft and gliders.
The Bristol Belle
The Bristol Belle via @thompsonbristol on Instagram
The creation of the Bristol Belle, the first modern hot air balloon in Britain, was a pivotal moment for Bristol that earned the city the title of the ‘birthplace of ballooning in Europe’.
In the 1960s, a renewed interest in hot air ballooning inspired members of the Bristol Gliding Club to design and build the first modern-style hot air balloon in the UK. After many failed attempts, the Bristol Belle was completed in 1967 and took off on July 9th from the Weston RAF base. In 2017, the Bristol Belle was reinflated on College Green as part of celebrations to mark 50 years since its maiden flight.
The history of BIB
Since then, Bristol and the surrounding area has remained popular for hot air balloon enthusiasts. The culmination of this appreciation for hot air balloons resulted in the first Bristol International Balloon fiesta, by Bristol Belle co-creator Don Cameron, in 1979.
Although a whopping 50,000 people came to see the balloons take off, only 27 balloons made it into the skies.
46 years later, the festival is still going strong, attracting thousands of visitors over the three days of its duration. Festivalgoers can expect to see a hot air balloon spectacle, as well as the iconic Nightglows on Friday and Saturday evenings, where balloons inflate simultaneously in the darkness and time their burners to lively music from BBC Radio Bristol.
For more information about Bristol International Balloon fiesta, visit their website
