Ashton Court once again played host at the weekend to the 47th International Balloon Festival. A spectacular array of colours and shapes were on display as the balloons gently drifted past Brunel’s Suspension Bridge and across the city. Around 100,000 people attended the event over the three days of this unique festival.
Friday mornings mass accent saw over 90 balloons head for the skies, amongst them our very own B&A Balloon G JIMA named after our founder Jimmy Berkely. Rob our pilot comments ‘a straightforward flight and a stand-up landing’.
Saturday morning saw Liv Griffin who has recently finished a work placement at B&A flying a little more quickly over the city, with great views of the suspension bridge as G JIMA flew alongside Oggy the friendly dragon ultimately landing at Hillside gardens UWE, coincidentally right next to an acoustic bund constructed by B&A.
In the evening, Jima joined dozens of balloons for the glow where the pilots use their burner flames to dance and pulse in time to music, a beautiful sight witnessed by a crowd of several tens of thousands.
Sundays amazing weather saw our Yard Manager Rob Westcott join our Pilots with daughter Emily. Rob who is on site at 5.30 ensuring our yard runs like clockwork laughed when daughter Emily stated it had been worth getting out of bed at 4am! A slow flight saw them landing in Stockwood.
Sunday’s final flight saw the crew taking a short flight and landing in Hengrove park to be greeted by a crowd of excited children, once G JIMA was deflated a long queue of happy kids were entertained as the crew allowed them in the basket and with careful supervision trying out the burners. Everyone had great time.
On Sunday G Jima recorded her 100th flight with 96 hours flying time and 18 hours tethered time. Rob, Ken, Dean and their team Helen, John, Scott and Euan were at Ashton court for the 3 days getting up at 4 am and only to bed at 11pm all to chase after JIMA. Without them none of this weekend would have been possible or as Rob says ‘as much fun’.
Bristol and Avon would like to congratulate the organisers of this year’s annual balloon festival, a great success for all who attended. We are all looking forward to 2026, we are sure the planning has already started.
So that’s a wrap for Bristol for this year. Next stop for the team, Longleat - Icons of the sky.
