Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

OK, so this is not a "new" event, but I was going through my photo album and figured I'd share our experience of the Balloon Fiesta in Albuqureque, NM. Krista's Mom & Dad live out there, right at the foot of the mountains and invited us to come out for the Fiesta. This is the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the U.S., and probably the world. Over the course of a week, over 600 balloons take part. The real "action" is very early in the morning during the mass ascention. The balloons are staged in rows all over the main field and inflate then rise in waves. What is so amazing is that you are right there - you have to move out of the way as the crews lay out the fabric. As they begin to inflate the balloons they first use huge fans to begin the process, then they lite off the torches. At 0:My God It's Early AM it's in the 40's and those flames burn at over 1,000 degrees. If you are right next to the basket you get a rush of heat that's enough to make you want to take your jacket off. At least while they're doing the burn... Once the balloon rises the crew and passengers board the gondola and wait for clearance to lift off. The whole event is coordinated by the launch master and a slew of on field officials called Zebras - as they dress in black and white uniforms. Kind of like NFL officials but with a lot more eclectic style. The way they keep things moving, balloons launching and prevent collisions is like watching a ballet.



The experience starts off with the Dawn Patrol. This is a line of 10 to 12 balloons that inflate in the deep darkness just before dawn. Once all of them are up, they start to perform "burns" where they light off the gas torches at full volume. The whole balloon lights up. They will all light off at the same time, in sequence, randomly, in patterns... It's a light show like no other. Every balloon is colorful and they are lighting up in a riot of color. The show continues even after they ascend since it's still early twilight and they light up like giant unearthly fireflys as they rise into the morning sky.

After the Dawn Patrol lifts off the balloon crews go into high gear. Double rows of balloons - up to 30 at a time start to go rise and lift off. If you've never been up close to a hot air balloon it's amazing how big they really are. The two in the photo above are only half way inflated and they still tower over the spectators standing next to them. Now picture 30 of them all in a row as they ready to take off. Pretty amazing!

The show goes on until about mid-morning when the temperature starts to rise and the breeze usually picks up, making conditions too difficult for the crews to take off safely. It's a show you'll never forget. The best balloons are the "special shapes", and you'd be amazed with the variety and color. If you want an unforgettable experience - by all means find out when the Fiesta is and plan on going!