BJC Roots: Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

August 6, 2025

This year, Bristol Junior Chamber celebrates over 45 years of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, the now iconic festival of balloons, now emblematic of Bristol’s identity and adventuring spirit! Bristol International Balloon Fiesta began like many of the best things in life, during a Members Meeting of Bristol Junior Chamber.

On March 15, 1978, Bristol Junior Chamber (BJC) invited member and avid balloonist Don Cameron to speak at their monthly meeting. Cameron, a pioneer in the field who had made his first flight in 1967, ballooning over the Sahara, the Alps, and eventually an Atlantic Expedition, which ended with him landing about 100 miles from France. At the monthly meeting, he shared his story and a BBC film of the expedition.

Inspired by Cameron’s exploits, a post-meeting chat in a pub sparked an idea: why not bring a group of like-minded balloonists together for a festival? This simple idea took flight the very next year. On the weekend of September 7-9, 1979, the first-ever Bristol International Balloon Fiesta was held at Ashton Court, organised by the BJC.

The event, funded by sponsorships from local companies, offered free admission to the public, who were allowed to meet the balloonists. Although high winds caused some interruptions, the festival was a huge success.

 

“The event grew from there, with each new BJC leader striving to make it bigger and better than the last. This friendly competition led the fiesta to expand until it completely filled its home at Ashton Court.” – Don Cameron

To mark the festival’s beginnings, BJC President David Cowgill planted a commemorative tree at the Ashton Court Estate on March 27, 1980, using funds from the President’s Award. The event’s growing prominence was cemented on September 1, 1981, when the BJC partnered with the Lord Mayor to promote the fiesta, which was held from September 5-7 that year.

Bristol Junior Chamber continues to sponsor and support the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, reaffirming its commitment to the festival most recently in 2024.

This year BJC Members will have two opportunities to see the Mass Assent and Night Glow in Style:

 

(Bristol Junior Chamber, 2024)

Resources used:

    • Bristol Archives – LM/CN/4/3 – Bristol Junior Chamber 1977 – 1981 (Pamphlet)

    • Bristol Junior Chamber (1979) ‘Bristol International Ballon Fiesta’ (Pamphlet)

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