Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 8 Aug 2025

Every August, the skies over Bristol get a colourful makeover, and no, it"s not just the weather playing tricks. It"s the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, where hundreds of hot air balloons rise with the sun. This annual event, which began in 1979 with a modest 27 balloons, has grown into one of Europe"s largest ballooning fiestas. Held at Ashton Court Estate, the three-day fun now attracts pilots and spectators from across the globe, with skies peppered by balloons shaped like everything from traditional teardrops to flying cows and cartoon characters.

© Ben Birchall/PA Images/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Cheerful colours of a Cornwall classic
A Balearic islet
8 Aug 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand

More Desktop Wallpapers:

5 Oct 2023World Teachers Day
25 Oct 2023Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, USA
On a dark and stormy night...
5 Apr 2025Grand National
This ‘snow’ never melts
3 Feb 2026Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, California, United States
Paranormal activity?
8 Nov 2024Glacial rivers, Iceland
28 May 2024The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
Art beyond beauty
11 Aug 2025Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
25 Oct 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
18 Feb 2024World Whale Day
22 Feb 2024Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
Eyes on the skies
A shiver of sharks on the hunt
5 Feb 2026Salt evaporation ponds on the island of Gozo, Malta
14 Sep 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
25 Jun 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
A braided river
2 Oct 2023World Architecture Day
25 Nov 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
20 Feb 2026Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Snow glow
International Nurses Day
7 Apr 2025Happy International Beaver Day!
Heavenly hot springs
6 Jan 2025Flooded crypt, Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna, Italy
25 Dec 2025Merry Christmas!
What are these unique creatures?