Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2023

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta was founded on the weekend of the 7th-9th September 1979. A small gathering of like-minded balloonists came together to celebrate the first ever Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, at the popular ballooning location, Ashton Court. 

Spectators witnessed a mass ascent of 27 balloons attending the Fiesta and marvelled at the many other flights made throughout the weekend. Most balloons came from the West Country, while others came from Ireland, Luxembourg and West Germany. From this small beginning, the Fiesta has grown year on year, flourishing into what has become Europe's largest free annual hot air balloon festival. Today, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta attracts over 100 hot air balloons and is witnessed by 500,000 followers over the four days of the event. 

The Fiesta has become as much of an icon for Bristol as Brunel, Wallace and Gromit or Concorde. The fiesta is a charity, run by a committee and remains free of charge to the public, in line with the ethos of how it was founded.

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