Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Cameron Balloons is proud to support Bristol International Balloon Fiesta; with everything from building new balloons, free meeting and event space, to volunteer help, banners, competition-markers, exhibition pieces, talks, press and media interviews, quick turn-around repairs and behind-the-scenes tours.

Don Cameron having discovered how to make and fly a balloon (flying it from Weston on the Green, Oxford - 9th July 1967) enjoyed the early days of ballooning firsts - flights over the Sahara Desert, over the Alps, altitude, distance, duration, first scopp, first airship etc. etc. These succeeded, but it was Don's own attempt to make the first balloon flight over the Atlantic in 1978 ending in the sea about 100 miles from France that sparked the idea... This adventure prompted his fellow members of the Bristol Junior Chamber to ask him to give a talk about his exploits and, in the pub afterwards, the idea of the Fiesta was born. The following year, on the weekend of the 7th-9th September 1979, a small gathering of like-minded balloonists came together to celebrate the first ever Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Organised by the Bristol Junior Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, the Fiesta was held at the popular ballooning location, Ashton Court.

Now more than 40 years on BIBF is Europe's largest annual hot-air balloon festival and over four days it attracts over 100 Hot Air Balloons and 500,000 members of the Public and the team at Cameron Balloons proud to be one of the 'cogs' that brings it all together.