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The meet the pilot event on the first day of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, where festivalgoers can step into baskets, light burners and get to know pilots and their crews(Image: Paul Gillis\/Reach Plc)<\/p>\nEight schools have been selectedThe meet the pilot event on the first day of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, where festivalgoers can step into baskets, light burners and get to know pilots and their crews(Image: Paul Gillis\/Reach Plc)<\/p>\n
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta has unveiled the shortlist for this year’s Schools Tether Roadshow<\/a>.<\/p>\n The inaugural event, which will take place throughout July in the run-up to this year’s Balloon Fiesta<\/a> at Ashton Court Estate<\/a>, will see balloon crews visit chosen schools and tether balloons for a hands-on lesson all about the world of ballooning.<\/p>\n Following April’s call for applications, 400 schools registered their interest in taking part, and this list has been whittled down to just eight, which have been selected to welcome balloons and their pilots into their grounds.<\/p>\n These include schools from across north, east, south and west Bristol, including North Somerset<\/a> – from Westbury-on-Trym to Knowle<\/a>, Flax Bourton to Southmead<\/a>, Withywood to Eastville, Staple Hill<\/a>, and Nailsea.<\/p>\n Each school has been offered two potential dates for their balloon tether between July 1 and the end of term, with the final date to be chosen based on weather conditions.<\/p>\n If weather<\/a> prevents a full hot air balloon tether, back up plans are in place using model hot air balloons, and in very poor weather a special assembly presentation.<\/p>\n The eight schools chosen to participate include:<\/p>\n As part of the Fiesta’s ongoing community programmes, which last year saw local heroes take flight in balloon baskets from Ashton Court Estate, the Tether Roadshow aims to ‘ignite excitement and curiosity in pupils across the city, providing them with the unique opportunity to experience the magic of hot air ballooning, meet the pilots and their teams, and understand the science behind one of Bristol’s most iconic heritage sports’.<\/p>\n\n