The skies of Bristol were overrun with colorful hot air balloons, as the city celebrated the 40th Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. More than 100-thousand visitors were there to soak in the sights. CGTN's reporter Xi Jia reports.

A picturesque scene on a lovely day. At 6 am on Saturday, more than 100 hot air balloons lifted slowly from the launch field of the Ashton Court Estate of Bristol. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. To celebrate, a giant balloon in the shape of a tiered cake took to the air. Moreover, 40 special shaped balloons were made to further capture visitors' attention. Among them are classic characters like Mr. Peanut and Bertie Bassett, as well as newcomers like Buster the Bulldog and Pipy the bagpipe player.

IZZY SALVA PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR BRISTOL INT'L BALLOON FIESTA "We have the dog, the birthday cake, and superbike which is the world's largest ever made hot air balloons. That are all tethered here this weekend, and many of them are first seen here in 20, 30 years, some of them are very old. It's a chance to see 200 balloons fly in one weekend; it's the biggest balloon event in Europe."

Balloons from more than 20 countries have taken to the skies. Experienced pilots take their passengers on a wonderful journey where wind leads the way. But this flight has not come easily. Public flights were supposed to take place on Thursday morning, but were postponed until Saturday due to wind. Colin and his wife Judy have been coming to the fiesta for 40 years, even their dog Pip has come 4 times.

COLIN GODMAN LOCAL RESIDENT "We know where we are now. We used to farm very near this fields, and our dog, we know everything about this field and suddenly for these magical few days, suddenly thousands of people, many big colorful balloons, it's extraordinary magical event and we love it."

Love is in the air. The other highlight of the event is the famous NIGHT GLOW which happens on the first and last night of the Fiesta. The ballooning teams light up their balloons in time to the music. The big round balloons almost look like they are dancing to the rhythm of a fireworks show. The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is free of charge. The event features over 100 hot air balloons taking off at dawn and dusk as well as the night glow. The balloons are tethered at midday.

XI JIA BRISTOL, UK "Taking a ride in the hot air balloon is not as scary as it may seem. It's peaceful and relaxing, as if you're drifting through the air. If you haven't tried it yet, it's definitely worth it. It's one experience you won't regret. Xi Jia, CGTN, Bristol, UK."