Each summer the grounds of Ashton Court to the west of the city play host to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta, a major event for followers of the sport of hot-air ballooning in Britain. The “Fiesta” draws a substantial crowd even for the early morning lift that typically begins at about 6.30 am and a fairground atmosphere is sustained throughout the day. A second mass ascent is normally scheduled for the early evening, again taking advantage of lower wind speeds.
Ashton Court also plays host to the Ashton Court festival each summer, an outdoors music festival which used to be known as the Bristol Community Festival.
The city’s principal theatre company, the Bristol Old Vic, was founded in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic company in London. It has premises on King Street consisting of the 1766 Theatre Royal (400 seats), a modern studio theatre called the New Vic (150 seats), and foyer and bar areas in the adjacent Coopers’ Hall (built 1743). The Theatre Royal is a grade I listed building and the oldest continuously-operating theatre in England. The Bristol Old Vic also runs a prominent Theatre School. The Bristol Hippodrome is a larger theatre (1981 seats) which hosts national touring productions, while the 2000-seat Colston Hall, named for the controversial local figure Edward Colston, is the city’s main concert venue.
Related Travel Information
Truro : Britain
Truro (Cornish: Truru meaning three rivers, which however nowadays are not of particular significance) is the administrative centre of Cornwall, and the only city in the county. It is well known for Truro Cathedral, finished in 1910. The city is also the location of the Royal Cornwall Museum. It has a population of 19,000.
Truro is twinned with Morlaix in Brittany, Northern France.
Britain Overview
Bobbies on the beat and double-decker buses, thatched cottages and country houses, village pubs and cream teas, eccentric aristocrats and people constantly shaking hands, saying “How d’you do?” and discussing the weather. Until recently England was generally thought of as a gentle, fabled land freeze-framed sometime in the 1930s, home of the post office, country pub and vicarage. It’s now better known for vibrant cities with great nightlife and attractions, contrasted with green and pleasant countryside.
From an exciting week in London to a leisurely drive through the Scottish Highlands, from castles and cathedrals to shops and pubs, the Britain
Manchester : Britain
Brighton and Hove : Britain
Brighton and Hove is a local government district on the south coast of England. It was formed in April 1, 1997 by the merger of the East Sussex boroughs of Brighton and Hove. It is an administratively independent unitary authority and was granted city status in 2000. It is in the ceremonial county of East Sussex and the Traditional county of Sussex.
On October 15, 2004, Brighton and Hove was granted Fairtrade City status.
Wells : Britain
Wells is a small city in the Mendip district of Somerset. It is England's smallest city with a population of only 10,000. (Technically, though, the City of London has a resident population of only 7,000).
Wells is a popular tourist destination, due in large part to having several historical sites and its proximity to Bath, Stonehenge and other popular sites. Parts of Wells Cathedral (widely considered one of the most beautiful in England) date back to the 10th century. The city derives its name from three wells in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace.
William Penn is said to have
