Hot air balloons over a golf course during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (© Ben Birchall/PA Images/Getty Images)

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.