Culture

European Balloon Festival 2008

by michelle.sundvick | July 7, 2008 at 08:29 am

955 views | 10 Recommendations | 5 comments

The skies above Barcelona were filled with balloons over the past four days as a nearby town hosted this year's European Balloon Festival. This is one of the biggest balloon festivals in Europe and is hosted each year by the town of Igualada, about an hour outside of Barcelona.

Thousands of spectators gather to watch as the sky is filled with a wonderfully colourful display of hot air balloons from around the world. Market stalls are set up to complete the festive atmosphere of one of the biggest ballooning events in Europe.

Here's a little history about aviation:

Aviation began 225 years ago when the first successful public flight took place in Annonay, France on June 4, 1783.

Brothers Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier launched a flying machine inflated with smoke and hot air, which carried aloft a rooster, a sheep and a duck.

Based on the success of this flight, the King of France agreed that a successful human flight would be a crowning glory for France and sponsored the first human flight later that year.

Therefore, June 4 marks the beginning of aviation

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[bastian.]

at 09:08 on July 7th, 2008

It was wonderful. Such a great thing to see all these balloons rising at at the same time right into the sunset. Later around 10 balloons staid on the ground and were just glowing while a musical firework was going on. Amazing!

michelle.sundvick

at 09:33 on July 7th, 2008

Thanks for the photos [bastian.]. That does sound wonderful, I hope that I'll be able to see it one day!

RoldixBCN

at 11:49 on July 7th, 2008

I agree with Bastian, the event was perfect! Beeing there, sorrounded by lots of balloons, some raising, some still in the ground with the flames warming the air, to allow them fly. An experience to repeat next year!

Zlender

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 23:44 on July 7th, 2008

michelle.sundvick, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Bryan26

at 01:17 on July 10th, 2008

The images were taken at the 2007 Bristol International Balloon Fiesta held at the Long Ashton Estate, Bristol, England.
The Fiesta, one of the largest in Europe, is a four day annual event, held in the August of each year and, depending on weather conditions, attempts to have two massed hot air balloon assents of 100+ balloons daily at 6am and 6pm.
These photographs were taken on the first afternoon of the event showing some of the special shape balloons.

Bryan26 has contributed a photo to this story.