Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 8 Aug 2025

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Every August, the skies over Bristol get a colourful makeover, and no, it"s not just the weather playing tricks. It"s the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, where hundreds of hot air balloons rise with the sun. This annual event, which began in 1979 with a modest 27 balloons, has grown into one of Europe"s largest ballooning fiestas. Held at Ashton Court Estate, the three-day fun now attracts pilots and spectators from across the globe, with skies peppered by balloons shaped like everything from traditional teardrops to flying cows and cartoon characters.

© Ben Birchall/PA Images/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Cheerful colours of a Cornwall classic
A Balearic islet
8 Aug 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
8 Aug 2026International Infinity Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

30 Aug 2024International Whale Shark Day
13 Aug 2026Perseid meteor shower over Tenerife, Spain
29 Apr 2024Fujian Tulou, China
2 Feb 2024Six Nations Championship
1 May 2025Lei Day
Staying in the loop
It’s party time
Angel of the sea
5 Aug 2024Hertfordshire, England
Is it art?
Centuries of time in a Delicate Arch
20 Jul 2026International Moon Day
More of a moustache than a beard?
10 Sept 2026Aerial view of Olvera, Andalusia, Spain
What are these colorful insects?
1 Nov 2024Vineyards in Varnhalt, Black Forest, Germany
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
23 Jan 2025Sundance Film Festival
London calling
22 Jul 2025Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
16 Apr 2024Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA
Connecting the dots
14 Aug 2024World Lizard Day
27 Apr 2026The glass dome of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, Italy
12 Feb 2025Celebrating Charles Darwin
16 Oct 2023Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington, USA
Hovering over harmonious horticulture
26 Jul 2026International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
18 Apr 2024International Day for Monuments and Sites
Bungle beehives