Bristol Balloon Fiesta takes off
The opening ceremony of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta got under way yesterday, with an estimated 100,000 people watching the striking night glow.
Just four shaped balloons went up because of fears about the weather but the thousands who made their way to Ashton Court were treated to a dry evening.
They also enjoyed a performance of thrilling jumps from the EXIT parachute team before the Royal Marine Band beat the retreat as a pre-cursor to the main event.
Then, with excitement growing, more than 20 balloon pilots created a variety of dazzling effects from only three main commands – burn, flicker and flash.
The sequences kicked off to Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra, the iconic score from Stanley Kubrick's cult film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
It then continued, expertly choreographed to the rhythm of the music, with a special mix of hits which included Abba, Tom Jones, Barry White and a series of Motown classics.
Despite kicking off around 25 minutes late, the crowd at Europe's biggest hot air balloon festival at Ashton Court Estate erupted into applause.
The atmospheric display led to a dramatic finale – a magnificent firework display put together by Bristol- based Skyburst.
The Thursday night glow is one of the Fiesta's biggest attractions as people of all ages gathered for the official opening ceremony with the model balloons.
Damien Spreckley, 30, from Avonmouth, said: "I know a lot of people think it's a bit sad but I actually thought it looked pretty impressive and at least the rain held off."
Rupert Bartovsky, 31, from Bedminster, added: "It's a great spectacle, my daughter Ella loved it. It was a really good atmosphere and definitely worth the wait."
Susan Tanner, event director, told the Bristol Evening Post last night: "Tonight's night glow went fantastically, we had 23 hot air balloons in the arena, all magically glowing in time to specially choreographed music followed by our firework display.
"Crowds were estimated at over 100,000 which is just great and hopefully Saturday's SPARK Data Systems night glow will be just as successful."
The free festival includes several giant novelty balloons, including the Churchill Dog, a Scottish Piper and the world's largest blue squares, which are new this year.
Flights began yesterday afternoon, but the free flights did not take place last night because of the weather, however they are expected to run as normal until Sunday between 6am and 6pm.
Organisers are hoping the rain stays away, as last year's opening ascent was cancelled due to adverse conditions.
The Red Arrows and parachute jumps will also feature at the festival.
14 Comments
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by phil, clifton
Saturday, August 08 2009, 12:24AM
“Am not planning to go this year,its a bit tricky getting there since the supension bridge is closed.I hear they have changed all the entrances etc this year which may have accounted for the traffic issues.”
by Tom, Local
Friday, August 07 2009, 11:08PM
“none-ya, brizle,
You could write the same about sex. Yet we men still keep coming back, right?”
by none-ya, brizle
Friday, August 07 2009, 9:38PM
“i cant understand why people go year after year when its exactly the same crap - a load of baloons lightin up wow wee. its like watching an exact same performance the same time every year, no body would do that so why this”
by none-ya, brizle
Friday, August 07 2009, 9:33PM
“whod of thought baloons could be so bloody fascinatin, its overrated if yu ask me, i bet if alcohol wasnt allowed there then nobody would go, true bristolians all about alcohol”
by Sue, bristol
Friday, August 07 2009, 8:32PM
“Thats the only thing that puts me off of taking my son to see the night Glow was the getting out of the car park at the end Ive not been for a number of years and when we did go it took us over 2 hours to get out !!! so not a lot change there they need more ways out at the end of the event.”
by Tom, Bristol
Friday, August 07 2009, 8:14PM
“Farouk off!”
by James, South West
Friday, August 07 2009, 7:49PM
“Re Farouk's comments, his preferred race of ballonists might have better rhythm but would this mean they could actually fly the balloons?
It's one thing to move effortlessly to a beat and another to fly a balloon.
Would be worth looking at though if the balloons zigzagged all over the sky with Farouk's people at the helm.
Before anyone says anything I know the Glow relates to tethered balloons but you could hardly have a special balloon pilots licence endorsed 'Glows only'.
As for crowds it used to be said the Fiesta attracted half a million people - obviously not all different people because some go for more than one day. The same applies to the Harbour Festival.
It's possible to get a reasonable estimate of crowds but it is quite right to point out that those running these sorts of events are likely to over-estimate for obvious reasons.
The same happens re trades union demos and marches. More than once in recent years I've been in town when a couple of hundred demonstrators have marched by and the organisers invariably tell the press they had at least five hundred.”
by Rachel, Portishead
Friday, August 07 2009, 3:58PM
“Fantastic show, my first time of going to the night glow with the family, despite being born and bred here!
Only moan is the way we (and I can tell you it certainly felt like 100,000 people!) were funnelled into ridiculously small spaces between fencing and fun fair attractions to make our way to the car parks, all trying to go in different directions, kids & dogs being jostled and stepped on. Took an hour to get back to the car, and another 40 mins to get out. Finally exited at 23:40pm, bear in mind the fireworks finished at 22:00pm - the organisers are quick to pack us in like sardines for a whopping £8 a car (and I live quite a lot of miles outside Bristol down the M5 corridor so walking's not an option before anyone gives me any stick!), but it would be nice if they gave a thought to getting us home asap as well!!!”
by I.R KITTEH, Bristol
Friday, August 07 2009, 2:32PM
“have not been for years, always enjoyed sitting having a beer at the pump house seeing how many ballons only got as far as crashing into hotwells..”
by Mark, Stoke Bishop
Friday, August 07 2009, 2:07PM
“Farouk, an educated man like yourself should be able to spell rivvum.”