The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, one of the West Country’s most spectacular summer events, has been secured for the first time by the crowd management and event security company Showsec. The stewarding contractor adds that it extended upon its work with the Richmond Event Management (REM) company. Thousands of people flocked to Ashton Court for the 38th annual Fiesta.
Ben Hardy, Director of Operations for the Fiesta and Senior Project Manager at Richmond Event Management, said afterwards: “Showsec have been a great addition to the Fiesta team.
While we are proud of the reputation which the Balloon Fiesta has established over those 38 years, we are constantly looking at ways in which we can enhance the experience for visitors.
“Throughout the planning stage, it was evident that Showsec would make a really positive contribution to help us achieve our objectives and they certainly delivered at the event. New attractions for children meant that it was even more of family affair this year, so a customer friendly approach was equally as important to us as safety and security.
“Showsec certainly embraced all that with their operation to make an important contribution to the success of this year’s event, all of which meant it has been fantastic working with them.”
This largest Balloon Fiesta in Europe included nightglow displays by 30 balloons ahead of fireworks on two of the evenings. Though wind caused some disruption to flight plans, there were mass ascents on the Saturday and Sunday involving up to 117 balloons at once, creating a splash of colour in the skies above Bristol for the onlookers at the event and across the city.
Showsec’s involvement at the picturesque setting of Ashton Court continued what has been a developing association with REM this summer, notable for their work at the Soundclash Festival in Hampshire and more recently events on Bournemouth sea front.
Simon Miller, Regional Manager for the South West, said: “The Balloon Fiesta presented us with a further opportunity to work with key agencies who have been right at the heart of Showsec’s success in the region this year, most notably, of course, REM. So, long may that continue.
“This is certainly the jewel in Bristol’s crown in terms of free events and it was essential that we delivered an operation that added even more to a spectacular event in an idyllic setting. As the new security provider, it was imperative that we were seen to take an active role in the planning which was led by the Head of Security for the event Martin Lewis and myself.”
He added: “The family atmosphere meant there was great emphasis on customer engagement throughout the event, while the large numbers who turned up on the Saturday and Sunday required us to work in consultation with Ben Hardy to manage both the ingress and egress to ensure a safe, enjoyable event was experienced by everyone in attendance on those particular days.”
As well as the operation around Ashton Court, Showsec also provided stewarding in and around the estate on the outskirts of Bristol and also for the closure of the nearby Clifton Suspension Bridge at peak periods of the event during the evenings.
Martin Lewis, Showsec’s Area Manager for Wales and the South West, said: “In such circumstances, it is always important to make a good first impression. Therefore, we wanted to identify ways in which we could make a difference at the Balloon Fiesta.
“One such way was the deployment of staff in the nearby village of Bower Ashton to help minimise the disruption to local residents. The impact on the local community is always a vital consideration in planning any event and this was incredibly well-received. It was long, long days for the team, due to the fact that it all got underway at 5.30am in the morning for a scheduled ascent by the balloons and went on until late evening with the fireworks displays in some cases, but the reward came in the excellent feedback.”
