50th anniversary celebrations at Longleat Safari Park

Longleat Safari Park will be celebrating being open for 50 years in September, with a hot air balloon event. The anniversary will be celebrated with 50 hot air balloons, one for every year that the park has been open. The event, the 'Sky Safari', will be the latest in a long line of celebrations taking part throughout the year to mark 50 years. Visitors to the park will enjoy the spectacular display as an added bonus. The balloons will be launched over a three-day weekend in the middle of September with balloons of all shapes and sizes taking part, including the park's 'flying lion'. Between sunrise and sunset, the balloons will be launched into the skies from the Wiltshire Estate. Two of the balloons will be making their only appearance in the UK at the event, two penguin shaped balloons called Puddles and Splash. The Fortnum and Mason Balloons and the Ricoh Cube will also be appearing. A night glow will take place as part of the anniversary celebrations, accompanied by music. Some elements of the festival will be dependent on weather conditions though. Lesley Marsh from Longleat said that they were happy to be able to share the celebrations with visitors. Marsh went on to say how proud the park was of the lion, and that they would be amazed to see him in the sky, surrounded by other hot air balloons. Tethered ascents will also take place, so that visitors can enjoy a taste of what flying in a hot air balloon is like.