Webflow2023• Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

I manage the design and updates for Europe's largest hot air balloon festival website, handling over 500,000 visitors during the event weekend. The site features interactive event maps, real-time weather updates, and comprehensive vendor directories. With a mobile-first design crucial for on-site attendees, the website serves as the primary navigation tool for festival-goers while managing massive traffic spikes during the event.

Role

Lead Web Developer & Designer

Duration

8 weeks

Technologies Used

WebflowJavaScriptGSAPCSS3Cloudflare
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta main image

Challenges

  • →Managing 500,000+ visitors during event weekend
  • →Creating interactive event schedule and map for navigation
  • →Real-time weather updates critical for balloon flights
  • →Mobile optimization for on-site attendees navigating festival
  • →Vendor directory management for 100+ food and retail stalls
  • →Ensuring fast load times with rich media content

Solutions

  • ✓Implemented Cloudflare CDN and caching for massive traffic spikes
  • ✓Built interactive maps with GPS integration for on-site navigation
  • ✓Integrated weather API with real-time flight status updates
  • ✓Mobile-first PWA design for offline access during event
  • ✓Dynamic vendor directory with filtering and search
  • ✓Image optimization and lazy loading for performance

Development Process

1

Step 1

Analysis of previous year's traffic patterns

2

Step 2

Design sprint with stakeholder input

3

Step 3

Rapid Webflow development

4

Step 4

Load testing and optimization

5

Step 5

Launch preparation and monitoring

Project Results

500k+
Peak Traffic
Visitors during event weekend
78%
Mobile Usage
On-site mobile navigation
<1.5s
Page Load Speed
Even during peak traffic
6.5
User Engagement
Pages per session average
+200%
Vendor Inquiries
Increase in vendor contacts
“The new website transformed our online presence and handled the massive traffic surge brilliantly. Visitor feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
Sarah Mitchell
Marketing Director, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Project Deliverables

Fully responsive Webflow website
Interactive event map and schedule
Content management training
Traffic handling strategy
Post-event analytics report

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