Bristol Balloon Fiesta

You know the summer has truly arrived in Bristol when there’s a mysterious roar above your house and a hundred hot air balloons float by like migrating geese or a murmuration of starlings. This is the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, held over four days every August at the glorious Ashton Court Estate, when there is a mass of hot air balloon ascents at 6am and 6pm every day from Thursday until Sunday (a lovely sight if you’re commuting), plus a strange event they call the Night Glow on the Thursday and Saturday night. This involves a lot of hot air balloons – some oddly shaped – tethered to the ground lighting up in time to pop music. As well as these events, there are all the usual trade stands, stunt-flying displays and plenty to do in the Ashton Court Estate itself, including walks in the woods, mountain bikes to hire, pitch and putt and a deer park.