From what you can see and to, to travel and parking, special shapes, and whether it’s still free to attend
Saturday 10 August 2024. People lay in the sun around picnics and blankets as they watch hot air balloons take to the sky at Saturday evenings mass ascent during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta this weekend, where 65 balloons lifted off from Ashton Court in Bristol. PHOTO:PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta returns to Ashton Court this weekend for three days of entertainment and, hopefully, an array of mass ascents, Night Glows, and other ballooning sights to enjoy. Now in its 47th year, organisers have also brought in some brand new attractions visitors can immerse themselves in this year – all focusing on Bristol’s ballooning history and heritage and the wonderful world of the sport.
To help you plan your day, we’ve put together a handy guide of everything you need to know about this year’s event – from traffic, travel and parking, to mass ascent and Night Glow timings, special shapes, and what else you can see and do this year.
Don’t forget to follow our live blogs each day – you can find Friday’s here, Saturday’s here, and Sunday’s here – where we will be bringing you all the latest news and updates, including the all important question of whether they will be flying, and where they’ll be headed if they do.
When and where is the Bristol Balloon Fiesta taking place this year?
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta takes place at Ashton Court from Friday, August 8, to Sunday, August 10, this year. Each day, the site will be open well before 6am (car parks open from 5am) to allow for those hoping to enjoy the early morning mass ascents at 6am to arrive and find a spot.
Mass ascents are due to take place at 6am and 6pm every day of the festival – but are of course weather dependent. And there are two night glows this year starting at 9pm on Friday and Saturday.
Is it free to attend? Do I need a ticket? And where can I park?
The Balloon Fiesta remains an unticketed free-to-attend event, meaning you can just come on in and enjoy yourself. However, if you are planning to drive and park on site, you’ll need to purchase a car parking ticket in advance. Final release tickets as of Thursday, August 7, are priced between £20 and £27 for cars, £15 for motorbikes, and £75 for coaches.
The event, being a not-for-profit organisation, charges for car parking to help cover its operational costs. By purchasing a car parking or hospitality package ticket, visitors are actually helping to protect the Fiesta.
Join our new FREE Bristol Balloon Fiesta WhatsApp group
Join our dedicated Bristol International Balloon Fiesta group on WhatsApp for all the latest news and updates
Bristol Live will be bringing you all the action and those who join our free WhatsApp community will be able to get the latest updates straight to your phone. You’ll be among the first to know which weather-dependant events are going ahead as well as traffic information and weather forecasts.
To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.
We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.
To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
How to get there and official travel warnings
Train travel
For visitors coming from further afield, Fiesta-goers can travel by train with GWR. The closest train station to Ashton Court Estate is Bristol Temple Meads, which is served by the Fiesta Shuttle Bus to easily plan direct onward travel to the Fiesta.
Shuttle buses
In partnership with Stagecoach, a Fiesta Shuttle Bus will run between Bristol Temple Meads, Queen Square (Prince St, Stop Q2) and the Balloon Fiesta, to transport visitors directly to and from the event.
The service will run on Friday from 10am until 9pm to the Fiesta, and from 10.30am until 11.30pm back to Bristol Temple Meads.
On Saturday, the service will run from 10am until 9pm to the Fiesta, and run return journeys from 10.30am to 11.30pm.
On Sunday, the service will run from 10am until 7pm to the Fiesta and return journeys will operate from 10.30am until 9.30pm.
To ensure you secure your spot, it is strongly recommended you book your shuttle bus tickets in advance, which can now be booked via the Balloon Fiesta’s official website.
Car parking
For those planning to drive, car parking, sponsored by GoSkippy, must be booked in advance. From those planning to attend a morning mass ascent, both the Blue and Red Car Parks open from 5am. The Blue Car Park is the closest car park to the Fiesta site, just a short walk from the main arena.
The Red Car Park is the main public car park and there is a walk downhill to get to the Fiesta site, entering at the top of the arena.
Disabled and motorbike parking is also available, accessed via Orange Gate. Last entry to all car parks is strictly 5pm.
There will be various road closures and diversions in place to keep traffic moving around the site during the event, so drivers are urged to follow traffic signs, rather than sat navs.
Taxi top tips
Visitors arriving by taxi should ask their driver to follow the road signs to the designated drop-off/pick-up location at the Long Ashton Park and Ride point. This location is a short walk from the event site.
This area is only operating as a drop-off/pick-up point during the Fiesta, and you will not be able to park your vehicle here.
BRISTOL ENGLAND, Saturday 10 August 2024. Hot air balloons take to the sky at Saturday evenings mass ascent during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta this weekend, where 65 balloons lifted off from Ashton Court in Bristol. PHOTO:PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
By bicycle
Cyclists can take the ‘Festival Way,’ a traffic-free path connecting the city to Ashton Court Estate and beyond. Starting in Bristol, cyclists can use the National Cycling Route 33, which takes them on a traffic-free path from Queens Square out of the city via Cumberland Road.
Upon crossing the River Avon, you join Kennel Lodge Road as you enter Ashton Court.
Bike parking is available on-site by the Mansion House and the Fallow Deer Park. These routes are shared with pedestrians and can get busy so ensure you ride carefully and dismount as you arrive into the site.
A walker’s guide
For those on foot, there are two main routes into the Fiesta site from Bristol City Centre: via Festival Way or the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Festival Way, Route 33 on the Cycle Route Network, offers a scenic walk from the city centre. These routes are shared with cyclists so take care during busy periods.
Clifton Suspension Bridge closures
As in previous years, the Clifton Suspension Bridge will be closed to all pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles between 6pm and midnight on Friday, August 8, and Saturday, August 9.
Traffic warnings
National Highways has warned that junction 19 on the M5 could be particularly busy during the event with southbound traffic using the junction to access the A369 and the event site. The M5 at junction 21 will also see increased traffic as northbound traffic uses the A370 to travel to the Fiesta, and traffic will also use the M32 to travel through Bristol to the event.
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta press launch 2024(Image: Inaz Hussein)What’s new for this year?
This year’s balloon line-up (which has its own day dedicated to special shapes on Sunday) sees the ever popular special shape hot air balloons – like this massive 143ft dragon all the way from Indiana. Visitors will be able to take part in a plethora of interactive activities – this year will see the return of the Meet The Pilot event, which began last year and sees balloon crews allow members of the public to come into the arena, jump in a basket, have a go on the burners, take photos, and learn all about the world of ballooning.
There will also be a brand new ‘In The Clouds’ exhibit, in which Fiesta goers will be able to walk inside a cold inflated hot air balloon envelope, take photos and listen to a soundscape of real flights from actual balloon teams. See more photos of what to expect, here.
Plus, another new interactive exhibit has also recently been announced, called ‘Flight Control’. Created with GWR, this interactive board will map out where every balloon lands after each mass ascent, so visitors can see how far they’ve travelled over the weekend.
This year will also see the return of an official headline sponsor for the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Back in May, BristolLive reported that South West accountancy firm Albert Goodman had been named the Balloon Fiesta’s official headline sponsor for the next three years, providing what organisers say will be ‘crucial financial support’ for the event. This will be the first headline partnership in almost 10 years for the Fiesta.
And there will also be a military flypast or two over the weekend, as a Hawker Hurricane will say hi in the skies above the Fiesta site on Saturday, August 9, and Sunday, August 10, as part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Flypasts will take place at 2.17pm on Saturday and 12pm on Sunday, with the exact Hurricane craft believed to either be the Hurricane Mk IIC LF363 or the Hurricane Mk IIC PZ865. Organisers say that the displays will be subject to aircraft serviceability and weather conditions on the day.
What else can I see and do?
When it comes to food and drink, Pasture will be returning with a pop-up restaurant on site for the second year running. Following its success, the popular Bristol restaurant will return to Ashton Court, this time with a further restaurant in the Sky Lounge VIP area, and also with a brand new BBQ service running throughout the day at their main pop-up onsite restaurant, under their new concept PRIME.
Other popular things to do at the Fiesta this year include model balloon displays, chances to explore a real life fire engine, appearances and sessions with the Bristol Bears men and women’s teams, stunt displays and demonstrations, live music, a fairground, and more.
There will also be a vast array of food traders to enjoy and, of course, the possibility of a total of six mass ascents across the weekend – two a day at 6am and 6pm respectively – as well as two Night Glow events, at 9pm on Friday and Saturday evening respectively.