From factory shadows to fiesta fame, meet Ralph the Rozière! Every balloon has a story, but few rival the unexpected charm and journey of Ralph, a once forgotten Rozière balloon that’s now one of the favourites in our special shape collection and stealing the spotlight at the UK’s biggest ballooning events. Here’s the story of how this balloon was brought back to life and transformed into a crowd favourite with a bit of creativity and imagination. From overlooked to unforgettable, Ralph proves that even the simplest shapes can make a big impression.

On Sunday 11th May, we brought three of our special shape hot air balloons to life at Snake Meadows in Saltford. What started as a quiet idea turned into a relaxed evening with friends, a few hundred spectators, and some rare shapes that don’t come out often. From Sonic the Hedgehog to a giant Nivea roll-on, it was one of those simple but satisfying ballooning nights that reminds us why we do it.

It started as a casual chat on a sunny evening in Bristol and ended with one of the most iconic special shapes in ballooning history landing in my collection. Here’s the incredible story of how the legendary Jesus balloon, now known as the Miracle Man, made its way from a dusty crate in Albuquerque to a sunrise inflation at Ashton Court.

Excited to announce that we are attending the famous Vredesfeesten in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium for the very first time this September.

We are delighted to reveal the initial design visuals of our new MJ Ballooning hot air balloon - showcasing all 11 of our special shapes as large add-ons from a white Z-105 envelope!

Learn what life is like for our team behind the scenes at a major UK balloon event with our weird and wonderful hot air balloons. Together, we revisit the 2024 Bristol International Balloon Fiesta where we attended with a whole host of special shape balloons, bringing you along for the build-up, preparation, and event weekend.

The Maxwell House coffee jar will make its return to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta this August after last attending in 1995! G-BVBK was our fourth balloon to join our special shape collection back in 2022 and we're excited to be bringing it along to Ashton Court.

Did you guess this one? If you did, we applaud you!

We posted across our channels on 8th March, "NEW BALLOON ALERT! Just picked up something special… But, what could it be? It’s a rare one!"

We are excited to announce that our new online shop is now live and ready to accept orders! Get ready to create your very own miniature world of special shapes... 

Welcome back to part 2 of our hot air ballooning journey so far. Learn about how we’ve come to look after each special shape one by one, helping to bring the magic back to UK ballooning. How my childhood dream as a 10 year old is now reality in 2023…