by RoBoNC

Indianapolis, Indiana

July 5, 2012

Best of IgoUgo For a long time I have wanted to attend the International Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My wife and I decided that since our oldest child was four and our youngest was just over a year and we were expecting another child in December, ...Read more For a long time I have wanted to attend the International Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My wife and I decided that since our oldest child was four and our youngest was just over a year and we were expecting another child in December, that this was the best time to attend. We figured with three children we would not be taking many more flying trips. Our trip consisted of visiting Arizona and New Mexico, but the entire trip was centered around the balloon festival.

The festival is held at the beginning of October and it last for nine days. Although there are different events each day, the majority of them take place on the weekends. Each day is broken up into two sessions, a morning and an evening. Mostly through the week, there are no evening events and just a few events during the morning. The morning sessions begin at 5:45am and the evening sessions usually begin at 5:45pm, however some events begin as early as 4pm. Admission is $8 for adults and children 12 and under is admitted free.

The balloon festival is held at the International Balloon Fiesta Park in the northern part of the city, just off of Interstate 25. The park is 365 acres and the launch pad is 78 acres, the size of 54 football fields. There is a limit of 600 balloons for the festival which was imposed because of the growth of the city and a lack of landing zones. However, in 2000 before there was a limit, the festival had a record of 1,019 balloons participating.
We arrived in Albuquerque on Saturday, the first day of the festival. Our plans were to attend the evening session that night and go to the morning session on Sunday. We left our hotel and headed to the festival on I-25 which is on the east side of the park. Police officers and lighted signs are located all around the park so no matter what road or direction you are traveling you will be able to find your way to the park easily. For an event that draws over 100,000 spectators, parking was not a problem. Parking cost $10 and there are golf carts that will shuttle you from the parking lots to the park. It is free, but just make sure you tip them. For those that do not want to fight the traffic, the festival does offer park and ride.

We entered the park and located around the perimeter of the launch pad are concession stands, souvenirs stands, and ATM’s. We arrived just in time to see the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race take off from the launch area. Gas balloons use helium or hydrogen to stay aloft which is denser than air as compared to hot air balloons which uses propane. Gas balloons can stay aloft for days while hot air balloons cannot. The other big difference is cost. Propane cost about $40 to $50 for a two hour flight while it cost about $5000 for two or three days worth of flight in a gas balloon.

The number of balloons in the race varies but this particular year, 2011, there were eight. The winner is the balloon that travels the farthest. The winner of this race went to two pilots from the United Kingdom and Australia. They landed near the Canadian border about sixty miles north of Minot, ND after traveling almost 72 hours, three straight days.

After the gas balloons took off, we waited for nightfall to watch the Balloon Glow. This event is when most of the balloons gather on the launch area and they ignite their propane flame which makes the balloon glow. It is an impressive sight to watch all of the balloons light up in unison. The Balloon Glow draws a huge crowd and it is followed by the After Glow Fireworks Display.

The next morning we headed out very early to make sure we got to the park in time. Although events start as early as 5:45 with the Dawn Patrol, the main event is the Mass Ascension which begins at 7am. The Dawn Patrol is just a small number of balloons that fly at night until it is light enough to see the landing zones. The balloonists use the Dawn Patrol to get an idea of wind speed and direction.

We left our hotel at 4:30 to head to the park. The exit that leads to the park off of I-25 is Alameda Blvd, which is the main road just south of the park. Traffic was backed up on the exit ramp for about a half of a mile and that was just before 5am. By the time we got to our parking space, bought our tickets, and entered the park, it was about 6:45. We barely made it for the Mass Ascension. Plan to leave early and expect to wait in traffic. While we waited, we did have the glow of the Dawn Patrol as they hovered over the park.

We entered the park and secured us a nice spot on the northern part of the launch field. What makes this hot air balloon festival so unique is the interaction between the balloonists and the spectators. You are able to watch the balloon being set up as they take it out of the truck, fire up the propane until they have lift-off, and then watch it as it glides through the air. The balloonists will talk to you and discuss exactly what they are doing and why. One balloonist even picked my son up as they ignited the propane so that he could feel the heat that it gives off. I was expecting to see a lot of balloons, but the experience of being around the balloons as they lifted off was surreal.

The highlight of the festival is the Mass Ascension. All of the balloons in the festival lift off from the launch field in phases. After the last phase is finished, the sky is filled with over 600 hot air balloons. While most of the balloons are the traditional ones, the festival is also made up of unique shaped balloons. There was a balloon shaped like a beer bottle, a house, a shark, and even Darth Vader. Balloonists from around the world attend this event. There was a balloon from China, Brazil, and many others.

After the balloons have lifted, you will notice that they follow a box pattern around the launch field. Mornings are very cool in Albuquerque in October which is why the morning events start so early. These cool temperatures are ideal flying conditions for hot air balloons. But more importantly, Albuquerque has some predictable wind patterns which are exploited to the balloon’s advantage. By manipulating the wind, it allows the balloons to follow a box pattern which allows them to make five or six passes easily around the launch field.

In between events, be sure to check out the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque Balloon Museum. It is located on the grounds and it documents the last thirty years of the festival and the history of ballooning.
This festival was well worth the trip. The balloons, in their uniqueness and size, will amaze children and adults. It was everything I thought it would be and more. It is a trip not to be missed.

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by Artomas

Grass Valley, California

December 5, 2005

Since the activities of the International Balloon Fiesta occur either in the wee hours of the morning or after sunset in the evening, so you'll want to dress warmly for this event. You'll also have to set that alarm to wake you at O-dark-30. You ...Read more Since the activities of the International Balloon Fiesta occur either in the wee hours of the morning or after sunset in the evening, so you'll want to dress warmly for this event. You'll also have to set that alarm to wake you at O-dark-30. You won't regret it, though, as this is one of the most spectacular, beautiful, and enjoyable events you'll ever attend anywhere. Go with friends and have even more eyes on the activities so you see it all. Close

by wanderer 2005

Phoenix, Arizona

February 9, 2005

Best of IgoUgo For 2 weeks every October since 1972, Albuquerque has been hosting the International Balloon Fiesta. The skies fill with over 20,000 hot-air balloons from all over the world. All kinds of different balloons from traditional shapes to special shapes ...Read more For 2 weeks every October since 1972, Albuquerque has been hosting the International Balloon Fiesta. The skies fill with over 20,000 hot-air balloons from all over the world. All kinds of different balloons from traditional shapes to special shapes such as tennis shoes, cell phones and cows, keep everyone’s eyes up towards the sky.

You have to get up to the park pretty early because balloons start taking off at sunrise, after the balloonist's prayer, and continue until about 11am, when it gets too hot.

The Park is located off of Paso Del Norte Rd and I-25. The roads are blocked off around the area, with signs to get into the park. If you choose to park and ride, there are several locations around town that you can leave from on a shuttle, for a small fee. One of the highlights of the festival is the Balloon Glow, which usually happens on the second night after sunset. All the balloons get together at the launch site and fire up their burners, making the ground glow - it's really something to see. Races and other events take place each day.

You don’t have to go the balloon park to be a part of the action. The balloons can be seen for miles and as the old saying goes, "what goes up, must come down" and balloons land all over town. Look for ones that are descending, and drive towards it. The balloon crews are more than happy to have people help.

Now to actually ride in a balloon can sometimes be a feat in itself. I was part of a balloon crew, so I occasionally got to take a ride. Other than being part of a crew or having friends that own a balloon, the only way to get off the ground is to pay for a ride. There are companies all over town that charge for rides. I believe the prices are upwards of a hundred dollars or more. I suggest making arrangements way ahead of time. Once you get up in the balloon, it’s a very cool experience. Just floating above the ground can be scary for some, very relaxing for others. The last time I rode in one, we had a hard landing not far from the fiesta grounds. I have to admit, it was a little scary.

At the field, there are food booths all throughout the park as well as restrooms. Dress warm and in layers, as it is COLD in the morning and gets up to about 60°F later. Bring gloves and perhaps a beanie or scarf to warp around your ears. They WILL get cold. I recommend bringing your own tissues or TP as the port-a-potties run out fairly fast. There are hot chocolate and coffee stands all over to help keep you warm.

Book your hotel rooms EARLY as this is a major event in Albuquerque and rooms book up really fast. Try booking a few months in advance.

http://www.aibf.org/

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by BawBaw

West Virginia, West Virginia

October 13, 2004

Best of IgoUgo Mass Ascension is the alpha and omega of the Fiesta experience. It is the grand beginning and the grand finale. It is the event that paints the colors and shapes of all the assembled balloons onto the canvas of the New Mexico sky. It is the ...Read more Mass Ascension is the alpha and omega of the Fiesta experience. It is the grand beginning and the grand finale. It is the event that paints the colors and shapes of all the assembled balloons onto the canvas of the New Mexico sky. It is the phenomenon that made Fiesta grow from a small rally of a few balloonists gathering in the Rio Grande valley into an international spectacle. The onlooker who can witness a Mass Ascension without being awestruck simply has no heart.

Mass Ascensions are conducted from Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta Park, usually beginning around 7am, right after Dawn Patrol. Each ascension occurs in waves, with the general order of flight specified during morning pilot briefings. Zebras, the field officials who manage Mass Ascension, give each pilot final clearance to launch. When all is said and done, hundreds of balloons fill the sky; upwards of 750 during Fiesta 2004.

Because onlookers are allowed to wander the launch field, Mass Ascension is a full spectator sport conducted in three dimensions. Within a matter of minutes, a balloon envelope can move from being a horizontal line of fabric laying on the ground to being a fully inflated aerostat aircraft, ready to fly. Walking among the inflating balloons makes one feel a bit like an insect in a forest of mushrooms. The overall effect is a sensual assault, including a myriad of colors, forms, and changing shapes.

Given the unusual level of access by spectators during inflation and ascension, it’s important to remember a few common-sense rules:

(1) Do not touch the fabric of the balloon envelope with your bare hands. You’ll notice that virtually all crew members wear gloves. Over time, the natural oils found in skin can damage a balloon’s envelope.

(2) No matter how tempting the photo op, do not come between the gondola and the throat of the balloon during inflation. Crew members are busy attaching rigging, and they are in general proceeding from the cold phase of inflation to the hot phase. Your intrusion into this space interferes with the rhythm of required safety checks. Moreover, an unfortunate convergence between a quick dash to take advantage of a world-class photo op and the first burn of the hot phase could ruin your whole day.

(3) As a matter of personal safety as well as courtesy, follow any instructions issued by crew members or field officials. Most balloonists are eager to share their passion, but their first concern is always for safety.

(4) Don’t smoke on the field. Propane is flammable.

In the end, the natural order of a Mass Ascension moves from wave to wave and down the aisles of the launch field, filling the sky above and the field itself with a chaos of vibrant and colorful forms — not to mention excitement. The senses of ordinary mortals simply cannot fully cope, and the photos brought home, no matter how wonderful, can’t begin to compare with the real thing.

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by jimpat4649

Toledo, Ohio

February 21, 2004

My favorite is the evening entertainment. Imagine huge Christmas night lights and you cannot even picture the true beauty of the evening event called a "glow." The balloons are tethered and use a special burner for a brighter light.

by jimpat4649

Toledo, Ohio

February 21, 2004

It's incredible to see the sky filled with hundreds of towering tall balloons in every shape and color beyond imagaination. There were over 800 balloons participating in the week-long event. Many were airborne daily; early mornings and early ...Read more It's incredible to see the sky filled with hundreds of towering tall balloons in every shape and color beyond imagaination. There were over 800 balloons participating in the week-long event. Many were airborne daily; early mornings and early evenings are scheduled flights. Close

by BawBaw

West Virginia, West Virginia

February 16, 2004

Best of IgoUgo Who among us can glimpse a hot air balloon drifting silently and weightlessly against an early morning sky without feeling a rush of excitement? Almost by definition--and certainly by association--ballooning is a sport characterized by a sense of ...Read more Who among us can glimpse a hot air balloon drifting silently and weightlessly against an early morning sky without feeling a rush of excitement? Almost by definition--and certainly by association--ballooning is a sport characterized by a sense of romance, adventure, and daring. No doubt much of the thrill evoked by the sight of a solitary balloon framed against the heavens has to do with the knowledge that within a fragile wicker gondola suspended from a envelope filled with hot air, men and women ascend from the relative safety and security of the earth to experience the elation of flight.

Now imagine glimpsing not one glorious balloon but hundreds--balloons of all colors and many shapes flown by balloonists from around the globe. Imagine ranks of hot air balloons rising above their launch sites like so many giant mushrooms after a spring rain. Imagine walking in the shadow of dozens of balloons standing upright and ready for flight. Imagine craning your neck and turning your head to watch wave upon wave of balloons float past. And imagine hundreds of tethered balloons glowing softly against a night sky.

Chances are, if your imagination does not fail against such a list of challenges, you’ve visited Albuquerque during the International Balloon Fiesta, a 9-day event that occurs annually during early October.
The center of operations for this high drama above the New Mexican desert is Balloon Fiesta Park, located near I-25 along the northwestern fringes of Albuquerque. From launch sites located at the park, fiesta balloonists participate in such events as:

Dawn Patrol--conducted daily throughout the fiesta, starting about 5:45 A.M.

Mass Ascension--conducted daily throughout the fiesta, starting about 7:00 A.M.

The America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race--an annual competition in which two-person crews race gas balloons cross-country.

Competitive Flying Events--in which hot air balloon pilots compete for cash and prizes.

Balloon Glows--conducted several evenings during the fiesta, featuring tethered balloons set aglow by bursts of flame from their propane burners.

The Flight of Nations--featuring balloons and pilots from abroad.

Special Shape Events--featuring an array of balloons assuming an ever-growing variety of unusual forms, from pigs, to champagne bottles and soft drink cans, to an oversized Jesus rising from a cloud.

Fireworks Shows--scheduled to follow each of the fiesta’s nighttime glows.

Admission to the 2002 Balloon Fiesta Park was only $5, and there was a parking fee.

For fiesta-goers wanting to do more than merely watch the pageantry around them, the best way to move from observer to participant, short of buying a balloon of your own, is to join a balloon chase crew.

© DAnneC/BawBaw, updated 2004 for IgoUgo

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by tuckeram

Raleigh, North Carolina

June 13, 2003

Best of IgoUgo Ask anyone what to see in Albuquerque and they’ll tell you not to miss the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Unfortunately for most visitors to Albuquerque, their trip falls on one of the other 51 weeks in the year when Albuquerque’s not ...Read more Ask anyone what to see in Albuquerque and they’ll tell you not to miss the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Unfortunately for most visitors to Albuquerque, their trip falls on one of the other 51 weeks in the year when Albuquerque’s not playing host to one of the world’s largest gatherings of hot air balloons.

If you’re fortunate to visit during the Fiesta, you definitely should not miss it. The $5 single event admission to the park allows you an up close and personal look at all the hot air balloons. Visitors can walk amongst the balloons, chat with the balloon crews and even take a ride (for about $225 if you want to depart from within the park itself).

While the balloon accessions can be enjoyed from virtually any spot in the park, definitely plan on being at the park early. Activities begin as early as 6 AM, when the Dawn Patrol (the balloons sent up to test the patterns of the winds) departs. Initially, the mass accession may seem slow going as balloons begin to fill and trickle into the sky. But before long, there will be balloons popping up all around you, and you’ll find yourself not knowing where to look as different balloons catch your eye.

Within the park, there are several concession stands from which you can purchase food, souvenirs, even your own hot air balloon, if you so choose. These should not be passed by as the myriad of balloon paraphernalia is interesting in and of itself.

Unfortunately, the majesty of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta cannot be well put into words, and pictures just don’t seem to do it justice. If you have the opportunity to experience it, you’ll understand what I mean.

Additional Information: www.balloonfiesta.com

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by BurliBear

Overland Park, Kansas

November 24, 2002

Best of IgoUgo AWESOME! Everyone sees hot air balloons in the skies from time to time, but there is not experience like being right there as they are filled and launched except - Staying after the launch on weekdays to watch them manuever across the launch ...Read more AWESOME!

Everyone sees hot air balloons in the skies from time to time, but there is not experience like being right there as they are filled and launched except -

Staying after the launch on weekdays to watch them manuever across the launch field competing for prizes or -

Maybe being there in the evening when the balloons are filled and stood up but notlaunched. Instead the flame runs into the balloon and is altered slightly and they light up like giant light bulbs or -

Unless you actually go for a ride in one.

This year, 2002, Friday morning was the absolute best day that we've ever had at the fiesta. The winds were virtually non-existent so the balloons flew nowhere fast. Just hovered over the field. After the special shapes and commercial balloons were launched, the regular balloons, which had to launch somewhere other than the fiesta field, started coming in for the flying competitions. The famous Albuquerque "Box" was working to perfection and along with the slow wind speeds, the air over the competition field was filled with hundreds of balloons for over any hour. See picture.

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by Andiamo

Corrales, New Mexico

September 15, 2001

Best of IgoUgo The vast, blue New Mexico sky is transformed into a kaleidescope of color the first full week of every October as the International Balloon Fiesta takes to the sky. This annual event is the largest balloon rally, held here in the ballooning capital ...Read more The vast, blue New Mexico sky is transformed into a kaleidescope of color the first full week of every October as the International Balloon Fiesta takes to the sky. This annual event is the largest balloon rally, held here in the ballooning capital of the world, and this year will attract more than 1000 balloonists from all over the globe. The city will jam-packed with visitors, but if you are able to visit during this time, it is a spectacular sight to behold. You can come out to the Balloon Fiesta park and walk among the inflating balloons, watching the full process of getting one of these "gentle giants" layed out, inflated, and finally airborne. You may even be recruited to help! If you come down to the field, a few rules will apply. First, and most obvious, is there is absolutely no smoking on the field. Cigarettes and propane do not mix! Second, you'll need to keep your eyes open as where you are walking. Shoes on the delicate fabric of the balloon envelope can cause damage. And third, you will need lots of film for your camera! This is the world's most photographed event - for good reason. While on the field, enjoy exhibits, food booths, and collectors' items such as the highly-coveted pins and hats. Be sure to enjoy one of our famous NM green chile breakfast burritos, and bring a lot of coffee -this is an early morning sport. You will need to arrive on the field by around 6:00 a.m. to catch all of the action. If you prefer to avoid the crowd on the field, drive out to Albuquerque's West Mesa and find a spot to park and watch the balloons ascend in all their glory. A few good choices are Coors and Montano; the area are St. Pius high school (at Coors and Ladera area) and the escarpment above the Petroglyph National Monument. If you get swept up in the balloon fever, you can easily arrange for a balloon ride of your own. Naturally prices are higher during this event than the rest of the year, but it is an experience you'll never forget!  Close