Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Before sunrise, the launch field in Albuquerque fills with balloons laid out on the ground. The Mass Ascension is the main event: balloons go up in two waves, from about 7 a.m., guided by launch directors nicknamed "zebras". Morning events end at about 10 a.m., so the big sights come early.

The fiesta began in 1972 with 13 balloons, as a birthday event for a local radio station. In 2026 around 584 balloons were registered, among them 114 Special Shapes, with pilots from 18 countries and 47 states. The Albuquerque Journal estimated 901,720 visitors that year. Special Shapes are the oddities: non-traditional balloons shaped like a milk cow or soda cans fly together in the Special Shape Rodeo.

In the evening the balloons stay on the ground. At a Balloon Glow, pilots fire their propane burners and the fabric lights up, and the evening often ends with fireworks. Pilots also use the "Albuquerque box", a pattern in which low winds blow north and higher winds south, to steer a balloon in a loop back toward the launch field.

How to go. The 55th fiesta is on 2 to 10 October 2027, and the organisers have published the dates up to 2030. The venue is Balloon Fiesta Park, a 360-acre field at 4401 Alameda Boulevard NE. Weather rules everything: in 2026 two morning sessions were grounded for static display only. Dress warmly for the early start, and plan more than one morning rather than a single one.