Once again, Bristol will play host to Europe’s largest ballooning event, an amazing spectacle and FREE event for the whole family from 8^th – 11^th August 2013. Over 150 hot air balloons will take off from Ashton Court Estate at dawn and light up the skies at night with evening glows with fun activities on the ground to keep the family entertained. 

Nee Hao Magazine will be organising a social meet up on Saturday 10th August 2013. This gathering is for people in the Nee Hao community who would like to make new friends or catch up with old ones and to enjoy the Balloon Fiesta together. Anyone who’s interested in coming should meet up outside the University of Bristol’s Wills Memorial Building at 3pm. 

After watching the fireworks and nightglow, there will be an optional dinner either at Wongs restaurant or Masa Japanese restaurant both situated in the centre of Bristol. For further information about travel arrangements or hotels, please email Sindy our event coordinator (email provided at the bottom of this article). 

The event features four days of extravagant hot-air balloon displays with half a million visitors gathering in the gorgeous grounds of Ashton Court to watch balloons of all shapes and sizes lift off over the City of Bristol. Entertainment for all the family includes fairground rides, delicious food stalls and bars, face painting and acoustic music areas.

6am and 6pm ascents

Visit the festival each morning at 6am for ‘Breakfast and Balloons’, watching the hot air balloons take to the sky as the sun rises with a morning coffee and bacon sandwich. For the evening ascents visitors are encouraged to arrive early to get a good spot to watch the mass ascent at 6pm.

Nightglow and Fireworks Finale sponsored by Bath Ales

The famous nightglow is a stunning sight with 30 ballooning teams lighting up their balloon as night falls at 9.00pm on Thursday 8^th and Saturday 10^th August, to a backdrop of spectacular fireworks.

Entertainment

The event is a perfect family day out with attractions on the festival site including model aircraft parade, inflation races, balloon tethering, an appearance from EXIT Parachute Display Team, a Spitfire Memorial Flight and an exhilarating fly past from the RAF Falcons and the world’s premier aerobatic teams, the Royal Air Force Red Arrows.

For further info about the social gathering please email [email protected]