“HARDYS WINES” BRISTOL BALLOON FIESTA 2014
A fantastic Hardys Wines Bristol International Balloon Fiesta for Flying Enterprises.
All of our balloons were able to carry out excellent flights, night glows and tethering opportunities to entertain the huge crowds that attended the Fiesta this year.
The night glows at the Fiesta are directed and choreographed by FE’s Chief Pilot Ian Martin. The fishtank and Visit Malta balloons and taking Centre stage the Hardys balloon all took part in both the Thursday and Saturday night glows. Due to calm weather conditions, the Hardys balloon was able to carry out a high tether in both glows placing it high above the other balloons that were taking part and was able to remain glowing once the other balloons had deflated and the fantastic fireworks display by Skyburst The Firework Co, took place.
Friday morning saw the maiden flights in the UK for the new Hardys and Visit Malta balloons and this was a superb flight landing near the Tyntesfield Estate in Wraxhall.
On Saturday morning the Hardys balloon was the Hare in a balloon Hare & Hounds competition, pilot Ian Martin flew the Title Sponsors balloon, into the old Cadburys chocolate factory grounds at Keynsham and was promptly followed by 89 other balloons, all trying to win the competition with a prize of Hardys Wines, this also created a new World Record for the amount of balloons landing in one field. This provided a donation of 90 bottles of wine and several hundred pounds to be donated for the Help The Heroes Charity.
During the rest of the Fiesta, the Hardys balloon worked very hard and was tethering throughout the day and evenings on Thursday and Friday and was shown live on TV on many occasions. On the Saturday afternoon, we were unfortunate to get some heavy rain showers, however this did not stop our team inflating the Hardys balloon and then tethering it for 4 hours giving rides to Hardys staff and staying inflated right up to the night glow, when it was the centre of the show again in front of crowds well in excess of 100,000. Dave Groombridge carrying out a great job in both glows.
The fishtank balloon was part of a competition on Jack FM on Friday and the two lucky winners of a balloon flight were able to fly out of the Fiesta in the fishtank balloon on the Friday night. This competition received the highest number of text entrants ever recieved by Jack FM previously.
The whole event was attended by over 500,000 people yet again and despite the bad weather on the Sunday from the ex Hurricane Bertha it proved to be a very successful Fiesta. 
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