Longleat Hot-Air Balloon Festival 2021

63ellsbells
63ellsbells Forum Participant Posts: 138
100 Comments
edited January 2021 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Last year’s event was understandably cancelled but the dates for 2021 have now been confirmed for 10th-12th September.

We’ve booked to go to the Club site at Longleat over that weekend and images/videos etc of previous events do look good and something we’ve never experienced up close before, so fingers crossed we’re nicely through the worst of Covid-19 by then.


Have any of you been to this before, or indeed any other hot-air balloon display?

https://www.longleat.co.uk/whats-on/seasonal-events

http://www.exclusivecup.com

LInks Edited

 

Comments

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #2

    The Bristol Balloon Fiesta is fantastic if the weather is good and in normal circumstances a CAMC rally will be open next to the fiesta for a reasonable cost. Early morning views included and the whole fiesta set up which is great fun at Ashton Court Park. If the club finally gets the new Bristol site it's just over the road from Ashton Court so will be a very popular venue for future events in the park.

    Bristol Balloon Fiesta LINK

    Hope you enjoy your visit 63ellsbells and fingers crossed these events can go ahead in 2021. smile

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited January 2021 #3

    We've done the Bristol one twice. Brilliant. Sadly the first time there was only one mass take off due to the weather 😢 but the other entertainment was good. Especially the night glow.

    Second time much more successful and we were on a rally, not CAMC, which enabled viewing, especially the dawn one 😉 to be watched without leaving the rally field, thanks to a very cooperative wind every morning! Well over a hundred went up one morning, fabulous sight. I believe all morning and evening ascents took place that year.

    We've also attended the Hamilton New Zealand balloon fiesta a couple of times. Health and safety isn't the same there 😉 and we were allowed to explore the balloons at very close hand, including walking in one! A very different experience. The more settled weather there meant it was rare for them not to fly and there weren't as many balloons as at Bristol but it was no less magical.

    I really hope it goes ahead and you get to enjoy the spectacular show of balloons.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,303 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited January 2021 #4

    We’ve visited the Bristol event, stopping at Baltic Wharf. Well worth going, although the year we were there they did not take off except on the last day due to winds. However the tethered display where they light the balloons  up was very spectacular. You can see on the daylight photo the affect of the winds on the inflated balloon. They collapsed the other one as it was getting out of control. The Bristol event is free if you walk in, although I think there is a charge for parking. The new site will be an easy walk away. Fingers crossed 🤞for calm weather on 10/12th September at Longleat.

  • Rufs
    Rufs Club Member Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #5

    Not been to the display, but as a present for my 65th family bought me a trip in the Virgin Atlantic ballon taking off from Alton here in Hamshire. Fantastic time, but hard work, part of the experience is the unpacking and packing away of the ballon, but brilliant ride on a perfect day. I believe some people have been waiting 2 years to get a flight in as they do cancel quite frequently due to weather but i did not have that problem.laughing  

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #6

    The CAMC Avon centre are taking provisional bookings for the Bristol Balloon Fiesta rally, you don't have to be a centre member to take part. Have a look at their web site via "centres" in the membership section at the top of this page.

  • 63ellsbells
    63ellsbells Forum Participant Posts: 138
    100 Comments
    edited January 2021 #7

    Thanks for the response guys - all useful info.

    brue, we did look at the Bristol show first but as the Baltic Wharf site is set to close in May and with no other local full facility CAMC sites, we opted to go for Longleat instead. At the time, Longleat hadn't confirmed the date but we made some provisional bookings over each weekend and have now extended out stay over the balloon weekend. 

    It didn't take long for the site to become fully booked once the 10th-12th dates were confirmed so clearly these events are very popular.

    I think it was the November magazine that had reference to a similar event held at Leeds Castle in Kent also in September which is very close to us.

    Fingers crossed for decent weather

  • Steven3
    Steven3 Forum Participant Posts: 1
    edited February 2021 #8

     Went to the Longleat event in 2019 and stayed on the club site at Longleat absolutely brilliant. You can walk to the event area from the site which is a real bonus (10mins)

    . This event in 2019 was very well supported and the number of balloons taking part  around 200 from all over the world made it a terrific event. The weather was also excellent and seeing balloons performing a touch and go on the lakes was a first for us.

    I would add we have been to the Bristol Festival many times but this Longleat event was by far better.

    We are staying on the club site at Longleat this year so hopefully the event will go ahead.

Categories