The 8th Annual Balloon Festival and Airship Championship has brought thousands of participants and spectators from Italy, France, Canada and many other countries to Russia’s northern capital to compete or simply to have fun.

“St. Petersburg is a city that attracts millions of tourists, but it's interesting to see it not only from inside its numerous museums, but also from up above. So, in my opinion, the event we've organised could result in even more people coming here,” said Dmitry Klokov, President of the 8th Airship Championship in St.Petersburg.

The event organisers say that it's a perfect opportunity for foreign guests to investigate the city from a height of more than 200 feet.

“We are very keen to develop air sports in Russia because we feel that Russia still has a lot of potential for development, which in western Europe maybe is no longer available due to very limited airspace. Russia is a very big country with lots of opportunities,” said Max Bishop, General Secretary of FAI.