The skies above Bristol are set to come alive once more as the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, in partnership with Albert Goodman, prepares to return to the city from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August 2026.
The free-to-attend celebration of Bristol and hot air ballooning will this year welcome over 120 hot air balloons from across the globe, all ready to take flight from the rolling hills of Ashton Court Estate.
The ballooning line-up features over 120 full-size hot air balloons, including over 20 special shapes and 40 model hot air balloons from across the UK, and as far afield as Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the USA and Mexico.
The first attending special shape hot air balloons to be announced are Astro and Astrina the Aliens from Fly Alien, Slick the Dragon, Wallace & Gromit’s Moon Rocket and returning favourites Adelaide the Koala and Simbaloo the Lion from Longleat, as well as Dolly the Sheep.
Visitors and Bristolians alike will likely remember the incredible 143-foot tall Oggy the Friendly Dragon that flew over the city in 2025. The balloon’s operators, US-based Indy Hot Air will attend the Fiesta again, this year bringing 120-feet tall Smiley Scarecrow to tower above Bristol skies.
Ben Hardy, executive director, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to welcome one of our strongest ballooning line-ups in several years to Bristol this August, with well over 120 balloons expected and a fantastic line-up of special shapes. It’s a real reflection of the energy behind a revitalised Fiesta and our ambition to celebrate the magic of ballooning in new and engaging ways.
“This year’s ballooning programme deliberately extends beyond the iconic mass ascents and Nightglows. While part of the magic of ballooning is the anticipation of whether conditions will allow flights to go ahead, we’ve worked hard to build a broader programme that gives visitors more opportunities to connect with the sport, whatever weather the weekend brings.”
Last year, Fiesta organisers introduced two new ballooning features which will return this year. In The Clouds invites visitors to step inside a cold-inflated hot air balloon for an immersive audio-visual experience on Bristol’s ballooning history, featuring original video content from the flight of the first modern hot air balloon in Europe, the Bristol Belle. This year the attraction will be extended to feature footage of a modern-day flight, and as visitors approach the area they’ll be taken through a museum walkway, with information boards sharing the story of the history of the Fiesta, and of ballooning in Bristol.
Flight Control, in partnership with GWR will also return. At the edge of the launch field a giant screen will track each balloon flight as they take off from the Fiesta until they land. This year Flight Control has been upgraded so that all balloons can be tracked in real-time from when they take off to when they land.
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Fan-favourite, Meet the Pilot will also return enabling visitors to step inside the arena to meet balloons teams, jump into a real basket, try out the burner and take the ultimate ballooning selfie.
The spectacular mass ascents are once again scheduled to take place twice daily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at approximately 6am and again at 6pm. Weather permitting, these memory-making moments will paint the sky with a kaleidoscope of colour. As night falls on Friday and Saturday, the Fiesta’s legendary Nightglows take centre stage, with dozens of tethered hot air balloons lighting up the arena in sequence to a music soundtrack produced by BBC Radio Bristol.
While the Fiesta is a free-to-attend visitors can support this not-for-profit event by purchasing official car parking tickets and hospitality upgrades. Car parking tickets must be purchased in advance. Visitors can enhance their experience by purchasing tickets for the event’s hospitality area, Sky Lounge situation right on the edge of the ballooning launch field. A limited number of tickets are also available to gain access to the launch field during one of the Nightglows.
For further details and to book tickets visit www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk and follow @bristolballoon on Instagram, X and Bristol Balloon Fiesta on Facebook for the latest news and updates.
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