Special Shapes at Midlands Air Festival 2018-2022
Held in May, the Midlands Air Festival began in 2018 at Ragley Hall in Alcester and in 2019 took place at Arbury Hall in Nuneaton. These huge special shapes are the main attraction 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, the BBM&L’s 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.
Discover all the special shapes to attend below. Which one is your favourite? There’s a lot to choose from!
Ragley Hall, 2022
View all special shapes that attended the 2022 Midlands Air Festival below. Photos 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 1996 Cameron Balloons Mobberley Balloon Collection |
IKEA
G-IKEA 2004 Cameron Balloons BBM&L |
Wes the Wolf
G-WESS 2017 Lindstrand Technologies Ashley Moore |
Adelaide the Koala
G-DAAY 2018 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Simbaloo the Lion
G-LEAT 2016 Ultramagic Balloons Exclusive Ballooning |
Emoji
G-MOJI 2018 Lindstrand Technologies Lee Hooper |
Dragon
G-PNAD 2010 Lindstrand Balloons Nick, Phil, Allie Dunnington |
Dragon Fish
G-BMUJ 1986 Thunder & Colt Mobberley Balloon Collection |
UFO
G-BMUK 1986 Thunder & Colt Mobberley Balloon Collection |
Black Knight
G-BNMI 1986 Thunder & Colt Mobberley Balloon Collection |
Ragley Hall, 2018
View all special shapes that attended the Midlands Air Festival in 2018 below. G-CGIS and G-PNEU copyright Ballooning Pictures UK. All other photos copyright MJ Ballooning.
Michelin Man
G-PNEU 1997 Cameron Balloons BBM&L |
Bertie Bassetts
G-BXAL & G-BZTS 1997 & 2001 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Ronald McDonald
F-GIGO (now G-CKWH) 1997 Cameron Balloons David Bovington, Lorraine Bingley |
Barclays House
G-BWZP 1997 Cameron Balloons Andrew Kaye |
Babybel
G-BXUG 1998 Lindstrand Balloons Karl Gruenauer |