The Bristol Balloon Fiesta is held every year during the second weekend of August (Thursday morning until the Sunday night). Ashton Court Estate is a prime location for this kind of event - lots of flat, grassy lands to take off from. The balloons take off twice a day - at 6am and 6pm - depending on the weather. Not too many people get up in the wee hours to watch them drift silently across the city, but nearly everyone steps out in the summery evening to watch the great hot air balloons pass over. Kids wave, adults take pictures,...
Now that the snow has melted, the timing seems right to post my photos from--was it merely a week ago??--the Blizzard of 2006. Actually, it wasn't technically a blizzard--I can't remember why, but it WAS the heaviest snowfall in NYC...