00:00More than a dozen hot air balloons have already been tethered at Ashton Court to reveal the shape of this
00:06year's Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.
00:09The free three-day event returns in August, with organisers promising mass ascents, night-time displays and activities for all
00:18ages.
00:19I've got one big secret that I want to tell everyone, but no one will let me tell you all
00:25yet.
00:25We've got three days of amazing ballooning fun here at Ashton Court Estate.
00:31Over 100 hot air balloons, some new special shapes that I've never flown here, so there's a scarecrow coming over
00:36from America,
00:37there's some more shapes coming over from Europe, and then hopefully maybe something else up our sleeve.
00:44We've got lots of activity in the arena for motorcycle display teams to meet the pilot, where you can come
00:50in the arena and obviously meet our pilots and get in balloon baskets.
00:54We've got In the Clouds, which is an immersive hot air balloon experience, so you go inside an actual balloon
00:58envelope.
00:59That's back for the second year. And then we've got great locals like Puxton Park are coming, Josh from the
01:05Pony and Trap is bringing his pony bus, so lots and lots to do throughout the day.
01:09Across the rolling hills of Ashton Court, the sight of brightly coloured balloons preparing for flight has become a familiar
01:15and much anticipated tradition.
01:18The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, first established in 1979, has grown into one of the UK's most recognisable cultural events,
01:27with more than four decades of history rooted in the city widely regarded as the birthplace of ballooning in Europe.
01:34This year's event, taking place from the 7th to the 9th of August, is expected to feature more than 100
01:40hot air balloons with mass ascents scheduled twice daily and around dusk and dawn.
01:46It's great. I was just saying to someone, actually, we packed up here in August last year after last year's
01:51balloon fiesta, got planning in September, and it's been pretty dismal since then, hasn't it?
01:56So we just wanted to say to the city, look, the weather's improving now. What have we got to look
02:02forward to? You know, it's going to be amazing, isn't it?
02:04The defining feature of the fiesta remains its unpredictability. Ballooning is entirely dependent on weather conditions, particularly wind, and organisers
02:13say decisions on whether flights can go ahead are only made shortly before take-off following pilot briefings.
02:20A countdown and smoke signal then confirm whether it's safe to fly.
02:23Even when conditions prevent launches, a full programme of entertainment, food, exhibits and activities continue throughout the day, ensuring visitors
02:31can still experience the event.
02:34Probably our title sponsor's new balloon, the pink one that's to the side, probably my favourite for the moment, yeah.
02:41Very exciting to have one, literally fresh from the factory.
02:43It's fresh. It pretty much came out of the factory yesterday, so got its stamp of approval, and here it
02:48is.
02:49A spectacle shaped by both careful planning and chance, it remains at the heart of what has become a defining
02:55event for Bristol and its global identity.
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