>U Mom Knows Best: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Is Celebrating 50 Years

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Is Celebrating 50 Years

 Looking for a unique travel destination this year? Consider the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. It is a must-see event that happens in October.


 Every year my family attends the best event ever in New Mexico. This event may just be the best event in the whole world. The event that I am talking about is an event with over 500 spectacular hot air balloons floating in the sky. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a once-in-a-lifetime, must-see event that needs to be included in your vacation plans this year. 

While the Balloon Fiesta happens every year in New Mexico, this year's hot air balloon event is even more special this year. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Is Celebrating 50 Years and you need to make plans to travel to Albuquerque. You won't want to miss seeing over 500 hot air balloons being launched into the colorful skies of New Mexico.

The hot air balloon fiesta is more than just seeing hot air balloons floating in the air. This is a magical event that allows you to participate in the hot air balloon magic. Over the course of the nine-day event, you will have the opportunity to walk the hot air balloon launching field and get an up-close look at the hot air balloons. I am not talking, about having to stand behind a barricade while the balloons are preparing to go up in the sky. You are right next to the colorful hot air balloons, so close that you can talk to the balloon pilots and chase crew. You might even get a collectors card of the hot air balloon.

People from all over the world travel to New Mexico to attend the Balloon Fiesta

 The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is an event that has people from all over the world in attendance. Even the hot air balloons come from around the world. From rainbow-colored hot air balloons to balloons that are in special shapes, like the Creamland Cow and my favorite the bee balloons, you will see so many awesome hot air balloons in the sky. 


 As a local, October is the most beautiful time of year in New Mexico. I never get bored with seeing the sight of colorful balloons punctuating the skyline. My family attends the balloon fiesta every year. It is our favorite fall activity and this year we are even more excited about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta as they are celebrating 50 years of launching hot air balloons into the sky. 

The 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta countdown is underway! Mark your calendars now to attend the event, scheduled to occur October 1-9, 2022!

History of the Balloon Fiesta

 2022 will mark the 50th time that the Balloon Fiesta has filled Albuquerque's crystal blue skies. The first gathering of 13 balloons happened in 1972 in a shopping mall parking lot. Now 50 years later, the event features about 600 balloons and 700 pilots. In 1972 there were about 10,000 guests that viewed the first Balloon Fiesta. Now there are hundreds of thousands of guests who visit Balloon Fiesta each year. Hundreds of thousands more fans watch the balloons from outlying areas and on TV.

 Event Information

 The Balloon Fiesta is the premier international ballooning event, powered by the typically perfect October climate and a phenomenon called the "Albuquerque Box," (a combination of weather patterns and geographic landscape, the box allows balloonists to control and even retrace their adventure) that is great for spectators and pilots as they can possibly take off and land from the same location.

 The 360-acre Balloon Fiesta Park includes 100 acres of grass and booths that will be filled with balloons and concessions. During the 49th event, Balloon Fiesta launched more than 540 hot air and gas-filled balloons. The event also hosted pilots representing 7 countries and more than 70 food and merchandise vendors. It’s been said that the breakfast burrito, the perfect grab-and-go meal for our pilots, gained its prominence at Balloon Fiesta.

25 years of seeing hot air balloons in the sky

While I was not in attendance for the very first Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, I have seen the Balloon Fiesta hot air balloons for 25 years. From attending the Balloon Fiesta to seeing the hot air balloons float over my house, I have fond memories of the event. I remember the first time I walked the Balloon Fiesta Park field. It was a cold morning. With a hot cup of coffee in one hand and a burrito in the other, I was so excited to see all the balloons. My oldest 2 kids were only 3 and 7 years old. 

 Now 25 years later and three kids later, I am excited to see what the Balloon Fiesta has in store for their 50th celebration. This year my husband and my two teen boys will be attending the Balloon Fiesta with me. 


 The boys and I attended the Balloon Fiesta last year. Now that the boys are older, they are having fun helping me take pictures for my website. It is such a joy to see the hot air balloon through their eyes and through the photos that they take on their phones. I remember many years past, when the Balloon Fiesta sold rolls of film for your camera and Kodak was a sponsor. I also remember when the balloon launching field had no grass. So it was a muddy mess on days when it rained. 

One year we biked to the Balloon Fiesta of Albuquerque

 I also remember the year that we biked to the Balloon Fiesta Park. My middle son and I rode our bikes with the two younger boys in the bike trailer. It was a fun bike ride that was in the dark. Read about our bike trip to the Balloon Fiesta HERE and see how easy it is to get to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta by bike.

 The Balloon Fiesta of New Mexico is an event that I look forward to every year. It is a family tradition to attend the Balloon Fiesta events, both day and night. In the morning, you get to see all the hot air balloons launch into the sky. Then at night, the balloon event has the famous balloon glow. If you have never seen a balloon glow, you will be amazed. The balloon glow is an event with the hot air balloons staying on the ground. The sky is dark and the balloons light up when the pilots fire their burners.


 History of the balloon glow

 The event now known as balloon glows were invented in Albuquerque in 1979 when local pilots inflated balloons on Christmas Eve night as a thank you to local residents. The sight of balloons lit from within at night like giant holiday ornaments is breathtaking and glow events are now held all over the world. Balloon Fiesta launched its Balloon Glow, the world's biggest, in 1987. Balloon Glow all burns, when all the balloons fire their burners and light up at the same time are perhaps the most spectacular single moment in all of Balloon Fiesta. 

So much to see at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

 The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a nine-day event that is filled with so much more than hot air balloons in the sky. From walking the field to seeing all the hot air balloons to buying a breakfast burrito, there is plenty of fun. The balloon event offers so much more than hot air balloons in the sky. You can buy food and merchandise from the many concession stands. There are entertainment and learning events. You can also purchase items from a craft fair tent. 

 At the night events, you can see skydivers and fireworks along with the balloon glow. Make sure to allow for plenty of time to explore the city of Albuquerque too. A typical day at the Balloon Fiesta is several hours in the morning and several hours in the evening. So the afternoon is when you can check out the delicious food from the New Mexican restaurants and explore the city. For more information about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta ~ Click HERE!

Check out these articles about the Balloon Fiesta

The Best Ways To Get To The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta







12 comments:

AiringMyLaundry said...

What a cool festival. I would love to go if were closer. The balloons are awesome.

Celebrate Woman said...

This is quite an experience! I totally would like to attend. So many unusual forms and shapes floating in the air!

Kathy said...

This would be so neat to see. I would love to be able to see that sometime. I honestly would love to go on a hot air balloon ride sometime as well.

MamaLad said...

Wow! Those hot air balloons look amazing! This is a fiesta I'd love to attend.

alita said...

This is one of the best events ever in New Mexico. My family and I also try to attend every year

Beth Pierce said...

Those balloons are looking great. I'd love to attend this event too

Melanie Edjourian said...

Now that looks like so much fun. So many different balloons!!!!

Eileen M Loya said...

I wish I could go there. It looks like so much fun. The balloons are so pretty! You are so lucky to be able to be there.

Tasheena said...

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta looks like such an amazing experience.

Brianna said...

Wow, this would be so awesome to see! I would love to go.

Marysa said...

I have never been to a balloon festival and would love to go! Sounds like a beautiful location for a festival.

Melissa Cushing said...

What a wonderful sight to see and I would love to see this beautiful event. Great pictures and so pretty. Will ahve to try and get there to see it for myself ;)

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