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| Bristol Balloon Fiesta to be shortened because of costs | Bristol Balloon Fiesta to be shortened because of costs |
| (3 months later) | |
| The 46th Bristol Balloon Fiesta is to be shortened from four days to three | The 46th Bristol Balloon Fiesta is to be shortened from four days to three |
| The 46th Bristol Balloon Fiesta is to be shortened from four days to three | |
| Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is to be reduced from four days to three after rising costs meant "something must give". | Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is to be reduced from four days to three after rising costs meant "something must give". |
| The Ashton Court event has been a huge staple in the city's calendar for almost five decades. | The Ashton Court event has been a huge staple in the city's calendar for almost five decades. |
| Ben Hardy, executive director, said the change would save money and safeguard the future of the event. | Ben Hardy, executive director, said the change would save money and safeguard the future of the event. |
| "It helps us get a more sustainable model and keep it in Bristol for many years to come," he added. | "It helps us get a more sustainable model and keep it in Bristol for many years to come," he added. |
| This year's 46th balloon fiesta will take place from Friday, 9 August to Sunday, 11 August. | This year's 46th balloon fiesta will take place from Friday, 9 August to Sunday, 11 August. |
| In recent years the free, not-for-profit event has been blighted by poor weather as well as the pandemic, inflation and other rising costs. | In recent years the free, not-for-profit event has been blighted by poor weather as well as the pandemic, inflation and other rising costs. |
| In a change to previous years, there will be a city-wide celebration in the build-up to the event with "fiesta week" seeing hot air balloons popping up in local communities. | In a change to previous years, there will be a city-wide celebration in the build-up to the event with "fiesta week" seeing hot air balloons popping up in local communities. |
| The Night Glow events will take place on Friday and Saturday nights | The Night Glow events will take place on Friday and Saturday nights |
| The Night Glow events will take place on Friday and Saturday nights | |
| An economic impact survey identified the event as Bristol's most valuable outdoor event - injecting £22.2m into the city's economy in 2023 alone. | An economic impact survey identified the event as Bristol's most valuable outdoor event - injecting £22.2m into the city's economy in 2023 alone. |
| Some £14.7m of this was "new expenditure", organisers say, which without the event would not have been spent in Bristol. | Some £14.7m of this was "new expenditure", organisers say, which without the event would not have been spent in Bristol. |
| Mr Hardy said costs in all sorts of businesses and the economy had increased and the event had also felt the impact. | Mr Hardy said costs in all sorts of businesses and the economy had increased and the event had also felt the impact. |
| He said pre-pandemic it cost £750,000 to stage the event but it had risen to £1.1m. However, the team had since managed to bring it down to £850,000. | He said pre-pandemic it cost £750,000 to stage the event but it had risen to £1.1m. However, the team had since managed to bring it down to £850,000. |
| "Just by moving it to three days we can save a little bit of money. It will solve some of the problem but not all of it," Mr Hardy said. | "Just by moving it to three days we can save a little bit of money. It will solve some of the problem but not all of it," Mr Hardy said. |
| He added: "We are looking at needing to find another £100,000 to keep the balloon fiesta going. (Reducing by one day) saves about £30,000 - £40,000 so it's a significant saving. | He added: "We are looking at needing to find another £100,000 to keep the balloon fiesta going. (Reducing by one day) saves about £30,000 - £40,000 so it's a significant saving. |
| "The whole event industry has seen a significant spike in costs post-pandemic. Those costs are starting to stabilise so we're hopeful for the future." | "The whole event industry has seen a significant spike in costs post-pandemic. Those costs are starting to stabilise so we're hopeful for the future." |
| The shortened Balloon Fiesta will still include two Night Glow events, which will now take place on the Friday and Saturday evenings. | The shortened Balloon Fiesta will still include two Night Glow events, which will now take place on the Friday and Saturday evenings. |
| Organisers say a fleet of hot air balloons will pop up in local communities across the city in a series of local launches before the central arena at Ashton Court sets the stage for more than 100 hot air balloons to take flight, if weather conditions allow. | Organisers say a fleet of hot air balloons will pop up in local communities across the city in a series of local launches before the central arena at Ashton Court sets the stage for more than 100 hot air balloons to take flight, if weather conditions allow. |
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| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Bristol | Bristol |