For the first time in its 34 year history, the Bristol Balloon Fiesta is introducing a programme of entertainment on Friday evening at this year’s event.

The ‘Friday Night IlluminAir’ will build on the success of the Thursday and Saturday night glows, to offer a wider range of evening events and performances than ever before.

The centrepiece of the Friday Night IlluminAir will be an aerobatics performance at dusk which will light up the night skies overAshton Courtand is set to thrill the crowds. A pair of agile ‘Silence Twister’ single-seat airplanes will perform exciting aerobatic manoeuvres including loops and rolls whilst trailing sparkling fireworks and smoke from their wings.

This will be the first time that the breathtaking display has been performed in the South West so it is sure to be a big draw at the event. The display has been wowing crowds around the world since 2010 and is performed by the precision flying squad known as the SWIP Team.

The Friday Night IlluminAir will also include a variety of performances and events for all the family, with a range of exciting entertainment to be announced over the coming months.

Chris Hathaway, chairman of the Balloon Fiesta Organising Committee, says:

“The Friday Night IlluminAir is going to be a fantastic addition to the weekend. The SWIP Team displays are truly awe inspiring and they’ll be a welcome addition to our already packed schedule.

“We are one of the region’s top attractions and are always looking at new and exciting ways to entertain the huge crowds which turn out each year. The Thursday and Saturday Night Glows are extremely popular, and this new evening of entertainment should quickly become another firm favourite.”

Peter Wells, SWIP team leader says:

“The Fiesta is one of the country’s top events so we’re absolutely thrilled to be a part of it. To be chosen as the centrepiece of the new Friday Night IlluminAir is the icing on the cake.”

The Bristol Balloon Fiesta features mass hot air balloon ascents every day at 6am and 6pm, night glows on Thursday and Saturday evenings and air displays on Sunday.

Members of the public planning to attend this year’s event can now book advanced car parking tickets from the Fiesta’s Official Website (www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk).

Visitors who purchase car packing passes in advance can now opt for privilege car parking. For just £10 per car per day, privilege car parking guarantees a space in the parking area closest to the showground, a dedicated entrance with easier access on and off site and an event programme.

Advanced car parking is also available at the familiar price of just £6 per car per day, this guarantees a space within a short distance of the showground and a dedicated entrance and exit to the Fiesta site.

As well as securing a parking space closer to the Fiesta site, by booking in advance purchasers also receive a discount of £4 on advanced car parking – on the day car parking is charged at £10.

The event takes place over four days and this year will be staged on 9-12^th August 2012. Held in the rolling hills ofAshton Court on the edge ofBristol, it is a hugely popular free event, attracting around half a million people from across the country and beyond.

Founded in 1978, the Fiesta has become an icon forBristol, as synonymous with the city as Brunel’s famous Suspension Bridge. Recently becoming the South West Tourism Event of the Year, the event has been shortlisted for theUK’s Best Tourism Event of the Year Award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012.

For more information, visit www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk.