• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Tuesday November 19 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Funding gap closing at Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Organisers of Bristol’s iconic International Balloon Fiesta have managed to reduce their annual funding gap to £15,000 – down from the £100,000 deficit following the 2023 event.

Despite attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and bringing an estimated £14.7 million into the economy during the event week – making it the city’s most valuable annual outdoor event – the organisation that runs it is still making a financial loss.

In recent years, the pandemic, rising cost of living, inflation and challenges in the supply chain have hit the organisation’s pockets.

However, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta said it was optimistic for the event’s future and longevity as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2028.

This year the Ashton Court Estate event was cut from four days to three to reduce operational costs, and focussed on increasing revenue through sponsorship, commercial partnerships and hospitality packages.

This year’s sponsors included Thatchers, Butcombe, The Eco Scheme, Airbus, Bristol Junior Chamber, Village Hotels, Boe Gin, GWR, Epic, Bailey Caravans, The Ivy, Changsha, The James Dyson Foundation, Bristol City Centre BID, Cameron Balloons, The Motorhome Holiday Company, Whats On Bristol, BIMM University, AMBITIOUS, Triangle Networks, Make It China, Leonardo Hotels, Radisson Hotels, Moxy Hotels, Clayton Hotels, Marriott Bristol Royal, Delta Hotels, The Bristol Hotel, and Stagecoach.

Ben Hardy, executive director, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, said: “Bristol is the home of ballooning in Europe and an important capital for the sport worldwide.

“For balloon enthusiasts from around the globe, the fiesta is a celebration of the activity, yet for the local community and the history of the city, the fiesta is a cultural festivity that is synonymous with Bristol.

“We have a social and economic responsibility to protect this event for generations to come, and certainly guide it up to the 50th anniversary in 2028.

“The support we’ve received this year has been exceptional, and the progress we’ve made underlines our commitment to strengthen the events overall financial health.

“While there’s still work to be done to address the full financial picture, we must take a minute to give our gratitude for the great show of support we’ve received from the city.

“So, to everyone who’s helped us get this far – whether through sponsorship, partnership, in kind support, advertising, ticket purchases or donations – thank you every one of you.”

The fiesta’s economic impact report, published this week, suggests more than 300,000 visitors attended the event in 2024. 48 per cent were local to Bristol, 30 per cent were day visitors, and 22 per cent stayed in the city – a boon for the city’s hospitality industry.

89 per cent of visitors said the fiesta was their main reason for choosing to come to Bristol on that day.

The 2025 Bristol International Balloon Fiesta will take place from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 August, maintaining the new three-day format.