Special Shapes at Midlands Air Festival 2018-2024
Held at the end of May, the Midlands Air Festival began in 2018 at Ragley Hall in Alcester and in 2019 took place at Arbury Hall in Nuneaton. A whole host of special shape balloonstake centre stage along with the air display.
The public first heard about this event in early 2018 when Yoda, Angry Bird and Iwi the Kiwi were announced as attending. It was big news for UK hot air ballooning - these were very well-known special shapes but nobody thought they would ever see them on UK shores. Action Man, Babybel, the Piper, Michelin Man, both Bertie Bassetts, the Superbike and plenty more followed making it an absolutely staggering line up. Perfect weather greeted us at Ragley Hall all the way until Sunday night allowing 5/5 launches and one of the best ballooning weekends ever. Seeing the Superbike take to the skies for the first time was very special and also seeing Berties, smoking upon inflation after years in storage.
The number of balloons increased in 2019 at new venue Arbury Hall and although the weather wasn’t as perfect, light winds allowed for 46 special shapes to come out the bag. Taking centre stage were all 4 Budwesier cans from the 1990s, IKEA and Lloyds TSB, Ordnance Survey, Peg Leg Pete the Parrot and everyone’s favourite Rupert Bear, plus a huge range of others old and new.
After the 2020 event was forced to be cancelled due to the pandemic, 12 months later organisers welcomed balloon teams from all around the UK for the first large balloon gathering for two years. Sadly overseas teams couldn't attend, but 29 British special shapes were flown and inflated in some great weather over the weekend; highlights being both Hyla and Zaba frogs flying simultaneously, FT newspaper tether and shapes in the centre of the night glow.
Since 2021 we have enjoyed another 3 fantastic years at Ragley Hall with appearances from Tropsy the Dino, Vincent Van Gogh, Independence Day UFO, Swiss Cow, Sonic the Hedgehog, Thomas the Tank Engine, F1 race car and many more.
Discover all the special shapes to attend below. Which one is your favourite? There’s a lot to choose from!
Ragley Hall, 2024
A great year for special shapes at Ragley Hall with 22 shapes in attendance.
Images copyright MJ Ballooning. PH-MAM, G-UPOI, G-CLGP, G-OEWE, G-WESS, G-POMP copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Slick the Dragon
G-PNAD Lindstrand Balloons 2010 MJ Ballooning |
City Destroyer
PH-UVO Cameron Balloons 1996 Skylight Ballooning |
Blüemli Swiss Cow
HB-QUU AirFly Balloons 2022 Stefu Walchi |
Iggy the Baby Purple Dragon
PH-MAM Kubicek Balloons 2022 Flash Ballooning |
Wera Screwdriver
D-OWRA Kubicek Balloons 2019 Siebel Ballooning |
Action Man
G-CGIS Cameron Balloons 1997 MJ Ballooning |
Sonic the Hedgehog
N750SH (ex G-SEGA) Cameron Balloons 1993 MJ Ballooning |
Michelin Man
G-PNEU Cameron Balloons 1997 Bristol Balloon Collectors |
Rupert Bear
G-BTML Cameron Balloons 1991 Bristol Balloon Collectors / Steve Kinsey |
Thomas the Tank Engine
G-BXND Cameron Balloons 1998 Bristol Balloon Collectors |
Ragley Hall, 2023
Brisk winds meant that unfortunately a lot of shapes booked in 2023 could not be displayed, but some classics were still on show.
Images copyright MJ Ballooning. G-CDSP, G-WESS, G-ELII, G-OPKF, G-BUUU, G-BETF and G-CLMS copyright Barney Morrison.
Slick the Dragon
G-PNAD Lindstrand Balloons 2010 MJ Ballooning |
BBC Globe
G-IBBC Cameron Balloons 1997 Bristol Balloon Collectors |
Thomas the Tank Engine
G-BXND Cameron Balloons 1998 Bristol Balloon Collectors |
F1 Race Car
G-CDSP Cameron Balloons 2006 Linas Mastis |
Fuji Film Can
PH-JEW Cameron Balloons 1993 Pluijm Ballooning |
Ragley Hall, 2022
View all special shapes that attended the 2022 Midlands Air Festival below.
Images copyright MJ Ballooning. G-ZABA, G-HYLA, G-DIPI, G-BLDL, G-POMP, G-UPOI, G-OPAW, G-CMOO, G-OEWE, G-SLYY, G-MAPS copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Ragley Hall, 2021
View all special shapes that attended the Midlands Air Festival in 2021 below. All photos copyright MJ Ballooning.
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Ashley Moore |
Dolly the Sheep
G-OEWE 2020 Cameron Balloons Neil Edmunds |
Tall Steve
G-WINZ 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Exclusive Ballooning |
Satzenbrau Bottle
G-BIRE 1981 Colt Balloons Bristol Balloon Collectors |
Black Knight
G-BNMI 1986 Thunder & Colt Mobberley Balloon Collection |
Arbury Hall, 2019
View all special shapes that attended the Midlands Air Festival in 2019 below. All photos copyright MJ Ballooning.
Samsung Monitor
G-SEUK Cameron Balloons 1996 Mobberley Balloon Collection |
IKEA
G-IKEA Cameron Balloons 2004 BBM&L |
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS Lindstrand Technologies 2017 Ashley Moore |
Adelaide the Koala
G-DAAY Ultramagic Balloons 2018 Exclusive Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT Ultramagic Balloons 2016 Exclusive Ballooning |
Emoji
G-MOJI Lindstrand Technologies 2018 Lee Hooper |
Dragon
G-PNAD Lindstrand Balloons 2010 Nick, Phil, Allie Dunnington |
Dragon Fish
G-BMUJ Thunder & Colt 1986 Mobberley Balloon Collection |
UFO
G-BMUK Thunder & Colt 1986 Mobberley Balloon Collection |
Black Knight
G-BNMI Thunder & Colt 1986 Mobberley Balloon Collection |
Ragley Hall, 2018
View all special shapes that attended the Midlands Air Festival in 2018 below.
Images copyright MJ Ballooning. G-CGIS and G-PNEU copyright Ballooning Pictures UK.
Michelin Man
G-PNEU Cameron Balloons 1997 BBM&L |
Bertie Bassetts
G-BXAL & G-BZTS Cameron Balloons 1997 & 2001 Andrew Kaye |
Ronald McDonald
F-GIGO (now G-CKWH) Cameron Balloons 1997 David Bovington, Lorraine Bingley |
Barclays House
G-BWZP Cameron Balloons 1997 Andrew Kaye |
Babybel
G-BXUG Lindstrand Balloons 1998 Karl Gruenauer |