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Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
30 reviews for Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
30 reviews in English
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Review from Lily A.
Best. Experience. Ever.
Jenny B. : want to go to Albuquerque?
Me: What's going on in Albuquerque?
Jenny B.: The international hot air balloon.
Me: That sounds cool. Okay, I'm in. Lets book it.
I didn't realize that I would be waiting in a parking lot at 4:30am while it rained outside for some balloons! But it was completely worth it. Here's what I learned from my two days at the Balloon Fiesta:
* Weather plays an important factor. If it's too windy or too rainy there are no balloons that go up. However, some will still be blown up but not fly out.
* Be prepared for any kinda weather. Rain. Cold. Sunshine!
* Go early...like 4am early! The parking lot gets full and will cost about $10 a car. But don't fear, there are lots of little booths already open and they serve breakfast burritos. (Not the best BB, but whatevers)
* See the morning lift off. It's amazing, and allows you to view a beautiful sunrise.
* The character balloons are always a treat.
But when all the balloons go up at sunrise...it is truly truly amazing.
http://www.yelp.com/us...
I will definitely be returning to the balloon fiesta to see the nighttime part of it which I missed due to rain. And definitely I'll be more prepared. I know it sounds a bit dorky to be excited for a hot air balloon fiesta. But trust me, it is quite the experience.Listed in: New Mexico List
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Review from Jenny B.
This event was the main reason I would flock myself to land-of-nowhere called Albuquerque. Me and my crazy travel partner, Lily A, was clueless on what to do for this, other than just showing up at the park early morning. We were so wrong! You need to know the balloon schedule to get the best spot for parking and for watching. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to meet one guy from SoCal during the Sky City tour and he's very very helpful in helping us getting the best experience out of this.
Yes, as crazy as it sounds, you have to wake up like super early and I mean like leaving the hotel around 4am and get there at 4.30-5am. Parking is about $10, so if you have a lot of people in the group, carpooling would be ideal.
Because the space is so open and the weather is unpredictable, I suggest you to bring warm clothes, like thick sweater and gloves. We came so unprepared and we had to buy them to keep ourselves warm. In case of rain, please wear boots that are waterproof because you might have to walk around the arena and possibility of muddy area.
We came here practically unprepared and rain happened for 2 days in a row, prompting the event planner to cancel the ballon flights, though some of balloon were blown up, it didn't fly out. Just on the last day, the weather was so perfect, barely any clouds, 3 balloons were going up for dawn patrol around 6am to make sure there's no strong winds and the ballons were safe to fly up. As soon as the first Fiesta balloon went up, all the other ballons and the special shapes balloon slowly went up to the sky. I have to tell you, if you like colorful scenes and majestic shows in the sky, this has to be one of them. I couldn't stop snapping pictures as each balloon started going off the ground. At one point there were probably over hundreds of balloons in the sky at once. It was so amazing.
I plan to return here on 2012 as I'll be more prepared with the timing and the clothes that I should be wearing. Plus, hopefully by this time, I know how to use my DSLR well to its maximum potential. -
Review from Mark S.
12/13/2011
The International Balloon Fiesta is one of the nation's best events. You have to experience it at least once in your lifetime, it's really an amazing sight to see.
If you get the chance and you're staying for the week, try to get hooked up with a pilot and crew with a team. It makes everything more enjoyable, and you might even be able to go up with the pilot once during the week! You'll learn a lot, and really feel like you're a part of the event. It's an early wake up call, but it's well worth it.
Watching all of the balloons take off in the morning is truly an amazing viewing spectacle, and being right in the middle of the action is simply extraordinary! -
Review from Ana T.
10/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
BALLOOOOON FIESTAAAAA! The five O's and five A's are warranted to express my excitement about attending last weekend.
This year, Balloon Fiesta set the world record on opening day, by launching 345 hot air balloons in one hour. Whoa, right? Unfortunately, hubby and I didn't get to see that part because we didn't make the decision to go until Friday afternoon.
We spontaneously, and by spontaneously, I mean within minutes, decided to drive from Tucson to Albuquerque to catch the second to last day of the fiesta. Lucky for us, we were able to stay with a friend, which saved us quite a bit of moolah (I hear the hotels are booked way in advance and the prices of flights skyrocket).
The morning of the event, we left my friend's house at 5:15AM. In other words, 1 hour and 45 minutes before liftoff. I'm telling you this because on Balloon Fiesta days, what might ordinarily take ten minutes to drive, can easily take over an hour. Fortunately, it only took us 45 minutes to drive the couple miles. So what did we do with the extra time? BREAKFAST BURRITOS! ...with green chile. That seems to be the New Mexican thang to do. We got our burritos from HA Cater, but almost every stand sells them, along with cinnamon rolls. Anyway, at 6 in the AM, when it's below 40 degrees, and your feetsies are freezing, a breakfast burrito will warm you right up. That, or getting as close as you can to the fire-breathing hot air balloons.
THE event to see is the Mass Ascension. Once the yellow "Fiesta" balloon is launched, hundreds of colorful hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes will launch into the air. It's surreal to see them all floating up towards the sun. Definitely a kodak moment. After all, Balloon Fiesta has become the most photographed event in the world. When you aren't following the hundreds of floating balloons with your camera, you'll most likely be trying to get close to the inflating fun-shaped balloons. Each time one of these ingenious balloons lifts off, crowds of people cheer tirelessly.
Just so you get an idea of what I mean by "fun-shaped" balloons, here's a list of some from this year:
+ a cow with utters
+ a joker
+ a happy clock with hands (both kinds)
+ a cross-eyed pink elephant with a trunk
+ Pepé Le Pew
+ a "cool" pig with wings
+ a family of bees (mom, pops, and baby)
+ a New Zealand kiwi
+ a butterfly (my favorite)
These balloons are formed and detailed to look incredibly precise. Some of them take on crazy shapes that you'd never expect to see floating in the sky. I must say, seeing the cartoon-looking family of bees float off together into the Sandia Mountains was pretty freaking sweet.
The other event to see is the Night Magic Glow, where the hot air balloons put on a sort of light show. The fire inside the balloons causes many of them to glow marvelous colors. The Safari Balloon especially glows wonderfully, with its shadows of elephants and trees. The Budweiser Beer Bottle Balloon glows nicely as well... it has this effect where it makes the beer look a glorious gold. Others that looked cool were the Panda, Humpty Dumpty, and the Alien.
Some things you should know about: there's an information tent where you can watch videos and play games that will teach you all the fun facts about Balloon Fiesta. We had way too much fun walking around and guessing the answers to all the trivia questions... we're nerds like that though. Also, if you're into collecting memorabilia, each balloon has a (sometimes) pricey balloon pin or free-of-cost business-size card.
All in all, Balloon Fiesta is a must see before you die. So put that on your bucket list and do it (don't forget to bring a camera, sunglasses, lots of layers, gloves, a hat, a thermos, a picnic blanket, and lawn chairs if possible). -
Review from William D.
Castle Rock, CO
11/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
YO YO YO ABQ Rocks! Love the Balloon Festival, but be prepared to get up CRAZY early or you'll be bawlin yo! Early as in 3:30 am to be out the door by 4 to get to the fiesta on time.
It's awesome! -
Review from Cath M.
This was the reason we flew out to ABQ... to experience this with the BFF for the first time.
The event itself was a cluster F.
We didn't know where to go... it was 5 am in the morning and it was dark... there were trucks on the field and if you were wearing a dark jacket... your chances of getting run over by the trucks with balloons were 99% - so it became like a game for the four us to avoid the trucks and at the same time, find a spot to station ourselves b/c we didn't know what was happening.
There was no announcements of what was happening... until I asked one of the balloonist when they were going to fly out and he told us no... and only then did my group and I realized that the balloons were set up for spectators to take pictures off and nothing more.
Therefore, we rushed to walk around more to take pictures of the rest of the balloons but by then... the balloonist were taking down their balloons.
Maybe next year we'll have such luck to actually see the balloons up high... -
Review from Joanne C.
Waipahu, HI
10/22/2011 9 photos
Woke up @ 4:30 then got to the park @ 5:45am. Hot coco (add peppermint schnapps) or coffee is a must. Lots of delish food and mini boutiques and shops.
- breakfast burritos with green chillie
- home made fritos pies
- corn dogs and hot dogs and krispy kream. And so much more!
- not to mention all the different ballons. Colors, shapes, sizes. Its such a beautiful scene!
I would return yearly for this event! -
Review from Dustin E.
Kapolei, HI
Spectacular! Weather was a downer during the midweek. There was more rain during the 2011 balloon fiesta week than in the last seven months! On the upside, we were treated to views of snow on the Sandia mountains.
The last hot air balloon mass ascension on Sunday morning was perfect in the chilly 34 degree weather. There were amazing colors and shapes, whimsical and downright blatant advertising. It is certainly an experience I will not forget, and one I will treasure for a long time.
The hot air balloon enthusiasts are very dedicated and serious about their hobby. It is an expensive sport, as well as somewhat dangerous.
That being said, I called around and will fly in my first balloon ride tomorrow. Yelp you later!
Yelp 365 Challenge: 31/365 -
Review from Pui S.
5/26/2011 55 photos
I got up at 4 a.m. with no problem maybe because I was super excited about the Fiesta!!! Left the campground by 5 a.m., traffic sux by the way (so do give yourself plenty of time). Once I got there, balloons were being inflated as part of the Dawn Patrol & floated away. What an amazing sight!!! I understand some of you by now are saying, "hell no, too early or whatever excuses" but do give yourself just one morning to experience this. I promise you, you won't regret it!!!
Finally, Darth Vader, following by his storm troopers and the bounty hunters arrived. HELLO, I have been waiting!!!! The crew started inflating the Darth Vader helmet balloon right in front of me. Other teams were getting their balloons ready. What a great event! -
Review from Vb L.
1/13/2011 1 photo
It was a dream of my husband to go to the Balloon Festival and since it's my job to make dreams come true, off we went. It was a once in a lifetime experience.
We got into town late at night and headed for the bar at the hotel. While there, we talked to a few of the staff about the best way to get the festival, parking, etc. Am I glad we did!
First, we didn't realize that there was only one way to the festival because they block off all other routes to control traffic. What should be a 15 minute drive is actually 1+ hour due to traffic. We would have missed the entire launch if we had left when we were going to. Even with the extra time, we were still a few miles away when the first balloons began to launch. Luckily, we were in a convertible and the balloons were all around. It was a site!!!! Hundreds of balloons soaring into the air -all different shapes sizes and themes.
Parking was pretty competitive and they didn't give you a choice of where to go - you just parked your car where they told you. I knocked a star off because there was a woman with a cane that was really having a hard time walking from way out in the boonies because they didn't have handicapped parking left. Not cool. I would have carried her on my back, but she refused.
The balloons were not your average balloons. There were themes everywhere. The Wicked Witch from Oz was pretty cool. I liked the flying pigs and of course the giant beer mug. My favorite was the cow (see the photo). It was so funny watching them blow up this cow. Like all the other balloons, they start on the ground and slowly fill while the waiting crowd watches. Then, when it's safe, they're released into the sky to float down the traverse of the mountains. Breathtaking!!
TIP: There's competition for the breakfast burritos. Go where the longest line is and you'll likely get the best of the bunch.Listed in: Get Me Outta Here!
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Review from Lynne W.
Albuquerque, NM
10/9/2011 3 photos
I could go on and on about this event but everyone has already said everything you could possibly know about it. It is awesome, awesome, awesome. This was my first time in Albuquerque and my first hot air balloon fiesta. IT WILL NOT BE MY LAST!!!!
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Review from Adrienne G.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2010 48 photos
Can't even begin to describe what a phenomenally magical weekend it was at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
About 500-600 hot air balloons from all over the world taking flight, glowing at night, showcasing their funny & unique designs & shapes - it was amazing!
This is the only event that allows people to walk amongst the balloons & get hands-on close....watch as they unroll the balloons, use fans to begin inflating, gas up the propane tanks to stand the balloons up then LIFTOFF!
Funny-dressed Zebra Patrol are kind people who chase the crowds away during the critical times for balloon setup
Events include
* Dawn Patrol - which had 10-20 Balloons lighting up before sunrise
* Mass Ascension which had all Balloons taking to the skies right after sunrise
* night event Evening Glow where the balloons inflate & light up all over the field - looked like xmas lights the way they flickered & stayed on in unison.
* Finale was a spectacular firework show to celebrate the day.....only to get a 4AM wake up call to do it all over again.
Breathtaking & inspiring to see the balloons rise up, working against the wind to stay inflated (we had the Evening Glow almost canceled due to high wind - but a few balloons stood tall!) taking off w/ the people waving at the crowds from the basket....I was even 1 of them as I took my 1st Balloon ride Saturday morning during Mass Ascension.
TIPS:
You need to be on the road by 4:30am to avoid traffic - seriously!
Bring all the warm layers you can possibly think to bring - it's COLD before sunrise & after sunset!
No need for picnics - food vendors are plentiful & serve everything from coffee / donuts (which you'll appreciate at 5am!) to pizza, breakfast burritos, fajitas, fried cheese curd, corn dogs...etc...
Lots of stands w/ sweaters, hats - shout out to the Walgreen's stand & their traveling blanket mobile!
Also find artists' stands w/ art, glassware, jewelry & the ever-famous Fiesta pins
The theme for this 39th year was Earth, Wind & Flyers....& we enjoyed all the elements. Love Balloons!!! -
Review from Lisa Jey D.
Los Angeles, CA
12/13/2011
I grew up in Albuquerque and attended from it's much earlier days. Kudos to them for coming so far!
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Review from Sarah K.
San Diego, CA
11/17/2011
I am a very unique individual indeed and had been wanting to go to the Balloon fiesta for about 10 years after seeing a picture of all the balloons taking off in a shop in the UK which has now closed. Been trying to get a copy of that picture and found it nowhere.
ANYWAY the point is I got there this year and went to the morning and evening sessions on the 8th October. I was like a kid at Christmas. I loved it.
It was fantastic to see so many hot air balloons, such beautiful colours, shapes and patterns. It was mighty cold but the sun was shining and the sky was blue so cannot complain at all! Loved the mass ascension and the evening glow! Took around 500 pictures. See. Told you I was unique.
Huge selection of food and not expensive.
Definitely would go again, perhaps next time I will get to go in a balloon! Oh and I would pack warmer clothing! Flipflops are not an accessory required in Albuquerque in October and definitely not at 5.30am either! -
Review from Juliann T.
Port Townsend, WA
10/4/2011
I can't add much more than already has been said about the event but I can give a great tip on how to avoid the traffic jam getting to the park on the weekends. Albuquerque has some great bike trails and you can get to the Fiesta by bike much easier than by car. My husband and I flew by the backup of cars on our bikes. Once there you can leave your bike at the free bike valet that's set up on the bike path. Volunteers will look after your bike while you're at the fiesta. We saw quite a few folks on rental bikes, so if you fly in you can still bike to the fiesta. Check the Balloon Fiesta website for the link to the bike trails.
There are also park and ride areas around the city where you can leave your car and take a bus, the parking is free and the bus ride is just a couple of bucks. -
Review from Andrea R.
10/6/2008 1 photo
This past Saturday I actually got my butt out of bed at 5 AM to watch 600 hot air balloons take off....
Besides confirming how important my beauty sleep is I did manage to learn a few things at The Balloon Fiesta...
1) Close to 100,000 people are curious/excited enough about balloons to wake up before dawn as well.
2) I don't like cinnamon rolls. Next time I'll save my weight watchers points for funnel cake.
3) When you wake up at 5 AM the day feels like it goes on forever.
4) Shaped balloons are much more exciting than regular shaped balloons. Props to this year's cow and Darth Vader balloons!
5) If some of these companies didn't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on branded balloons (ahem Wells Fargo) perhaps we wouldn't be in such a financial crisis.Listed in: Albuquerque/Santa Fe, New…
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Review from F. P.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2010
If I had just attended the morning Mass Ascension, this would have been 5++ stars. But I also went to the Evening Glow the night before and that was incredibly disappointing so the overall rating drops.
So after months of planning and weeks of constantly checking weather forecasts, I finally made to the Balloon Fiesta. As it turns out, the weather was picture perfect. Barely any wind, bluest of skies, hardly any clouds in sight.
The Evening Glow where they light up the balloons which are grounded at night was a huge disappointment. Basically, thousands of people showed up, fought their way through traffic and crowds ... too see less than ten balloons, all sporadically spaced apart! One balloon here, one over there ... not a good photo op at all! Very poor showing. There were several operators that did not inflate their balloons but rather just would turn on the flames. First time, it was cool. After that, I wondered what's the point of that?! People didn't come hundreds of miles to see this!
The food stands are set well and the parking is quite organized. Hats off to the people who run this and made this a smooth operation. Plenty of port-a-potties with hand sanitizers.
At least the fireworks display was impressive (and allowed us to sneak away a little early to avoid the massive crowd rush at the end).
Anyways, my dejection quickly turned into exhilaration when I woke up at 5am with cautious optimism (but much lowered expectations) to check out the Final Mass Ascension on 10/10/10. Hey!
Get there at 6am. It was freezing (good thing I brought my gloves!). First thing I see as I make my way through pitch blackness were 10 or so balloons all packed together in a line with an eerie glow! Since they were all together, this was a much better photo opportunity. Then as it became gradually lighter, we could see all the balloons getting ready for the Mass Ascension. The euphoria as you see the first of them take off is hard to explain. But before you know it, the sun rays peak over the mountains and casts a beautiful glow over the launch field and then hundreds of balloons in all shapes and colors are in the air!
So happy to have checked this off my bucket list! -
Review from Daisy H.
4/5/2010
If you've created a Bucket List--this event is a must!!! I was fortunate enough to be sent to Albuquerque for a work project during the Fall and got to attend their best event. There are a lot of vendors and some unique eating at the Ballon Fiesta. I can't believe I got so lucky. I attended the Balloon Fiesta and it was mostly paid for by my employer. SCORE!
Balloon Fiesta used to be a two week long event but I think over the years, they've shortened it to one week. There are two important times to go and that's Mass Ascension (around 5/6 AM) and Balloon Glow (5/6 PM).
Mass Ascension is basically the first flight of the day, the balloons start taking off. It is an amazing scene to be on the lawn surrounded by massive colorful balloons as they take flight in front of you. They usually start at sunrise and it's really chilly that early in the morning, so be prepared.
Balloon Glow is just as beautiful. That's when the balloons are on the ground and are lit up at night as music is played in the background. There's also a fireworks show after the Balloon Glow. I would love to go again in the future--it was an amazing experience. -
Review from Bryce D.
Palo Alto, CA
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
The GF and I came to New Mexico for 2 reasons: to see her BFF and to go watch the balloon festival. We accomplished seeing her BFF, but the weather decided to suck the week we were there. We got to see the balloons blown up, but we never got to see them go up...sad face
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Review from Todd G.
San Luis Obispo, CA
9/30/2010
awesome event
I had to visit the area for work, but I got to sneak in this event. There's a lot of traffic in the morning trying to get there for the mass ascension, but it's worth it to see the glowing globes lighting up the dawn sky. The balloons are every shape and size you can imagine. -
Review from Ian M.
3/24/2006
This is the event that puts Albuquerque on the map every October. If you've never seen it before, it's worth checking out. I don't know that I'd make a special trip to the city just to see it, but if you're in town and haven't been living here long enough to be sick of the Balloon Fiesta, it's really a sensory treat.
Use the park and ride facilities that are offered in order to save parking hassles. Get there early and walk around the field, watching balloons inflate, and get a sense for how balloonists operate if you're not familiar with the scene, but still quietly fascinated by it. Watching the hundreds of balloons lift off while standing on the field is an incredible sight.
Don't neglect the Night Glows, either, where all the balloonists repeatedly ignite their burners simultaneously upon an announced countdown, giving the twilight an ethereal glow. Certain Night Glows are followed by fireworks, just to give additional sensory appeal to the idea of an evening at the Balloon Fiesta. -
Review from Nicolas D.
Rio Rancho, NM
10/7/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Awesome experience!
Use the Park-and-ride shuttles to avoid congestion.
$10 for shuttle and admission this year, what a deal!
Best time of the year to visit New Mexico, Go! -
Review from Rashmi N.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2007 6 photos
Simply amazing. Beautiful. Ethereal.
A sight you will not see anywhere else! If you are in the area this is a definite. I would say it's also worth a trip in conjunction with other Southwest sights!
More details and pictures to come... but there are still a few days for the 2007 Fiesta - so head down!!
Wow.Listed in: The Old Southwest
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Review from Alexis H.
10/14/2010 2 photos
Before my boyfriend and I headed out to the Balloon Fiesta, many of my friends and co-workers wanted full reports. "This is on my bucket list!" they all said. "I want to know if it should be."
Yes, it should be. I can't explain how amazing it is to walk amongst the giant hot air balloons. Gazing up and seeing Darth Vader, or Felix the Cat, or other various "special shapes" balloons was a sight to behold. We also attended the Glowdeo. Seeing the balloons all light up at the same time was incredible.
We purchased a parking pass in advance. I recommend waking up early - and I mean early - to get there for the morning sessions. Dress warm. You should probably plan on heading to the Fiesta grounds at least an hour before the session begins if you don't want to get stuck in traffic.
The vendors are great and actually reasonably priced. I found some items were actually cheaper at the balloon fiesta than at the shops in Old Town ABQ, so if you're a bargain hunter, don't be scared to purchase something at the event.
It's true that sometimes the sessions get cancelled, of the three we planned on attending, two either were cancelled or altered due to wind. My advice to anyone who attends is to go with an open mind and the understanding that "you can plan a pretty picnic but you can't predict the weather." To be on the safe side, plan on waking up super early for the morning sessions, which seem to be more stable.
We plan on making this a tradition, every other year or so! -
Review from Sara P.
Albuquerque, NM
10/7/2010
This is something you can't miss. Its worth getting up at 5 am to stand out in the freezing cold. I love to stand in the middle of the field and just watch all the balloons grow and inflate around me. Its cool to feel so small.
Aside from the great sights, the food is awesome! You can get breakfast burritos, cinnamon rolls, mini doughnuts... all kinds of awesome breakfast food from New Mexico and beyond. It really is an international event.
The balloon glows are beautiful too. The evening fare is just as great as the morning menu. The fireworks afterward are a must see.
After this raving review, why only 4 stars you ask? Because its all subject to weather, and it tends to be windy and rain during this particular week in October. The entire event is at the mercy of a breeze and a rain cloud. -
Review from Chanel F.
Albuquerque, NM
10/11/2008
Watching hundreds of hot air balloons take off is definitely a sight to behold, and for that reason I'm glad the balloon fiesta exists. This was my first time seeing it, and I really enjoyed it. However, there are several things I thought were pretty lame...
Balloon activities take place at the butt crack of dawn, and again in the evening. But there is virtually NOTHING to do at the fiesta between those times. Most vendors are food vendors. What little arts/crafts vendors they have are not enough to keep you interested for nearly 12 hours as you wait for evening festivities to begin. Which means you will most likely leave during the day to return in the evening where you will be charged $10 AGAIN for parking AND an additional $6 just to walk in through the gate. Lame. Lame. Lame. There is also no guarantee the balloons will launch as weather is very changeable in New Mexico. My advice...
If you want to see mass ascension, find a nice spot on the side of the 313/556 and wait. Its free to park there. If you want to see the glowdeo then buy a park and ride ticket which includes admission costs, or go ahead and pay the parking fee plus entrance fee. Skip the crap during the day. -
Review from Kira E.
Albuquerque, NM
2/15/2011
Ya gotta go at least once! Goign for the Balloon Glows is a treat in the morning and night. If you only go once, go for the special shapes ones, it's great for kids!
I was sooo impressed at how visitors can wander around the field and join in the fun if they so choose. I helped hold the line for lift off of one balloon. Another group invited me to get some close up shots. Everyone is sooo friendly!!! You can learn so much by just asking!
Parking:
It's easier to get into the park form the North entrance, shorter line, and you usually can get closer. There's no in/out priviledges which sucks because unless you go to the museum or go through the trade fair there's not much to do during the day, all the fun is at sunrise ans sunset.
Where to view from outside the park:
You can park on the side of the road on Louisiana past eagle rock on the arroyo and there's a clear view for takeoffs if you don't want to get in on the ground action. Several balloons took off from that field instead of the Balloon park, which I'm not sure if they were supposed to, but you could get up close without paying. Talking to the balloonists is half the fun though!!!
What to wear and bring:
1) LAYERS - It's really nippy in the morning, but once the sun rises it gets hot quick, so dress in layers with gloves and a hat, and bring a backpack to put shedding clothes. A lot of people go in sweats and PJ's, so you won't be alone.
2) WARM DRINKS - Bring a hot thermos! You can refill at the stands and reduce your impact on the environment too. I think you can bring food too. (don't quote me on that though) Picnics are fun and the fair food is expensive!
3) CAMERA! The ballonists let you get up close and personal and may ask you to help!
4) SUNGLASSES - Once the sun rises, you'll want glasses or a visor, ABQ air is thin, and the sun is radiant and bright
5) SUNSCREEN - On the same note, if you stay at all past sunrise, it gets hot and the sun is more direct than you may be used to.
6) LAWN CHAIR or picnic blanket - We brough foldable chairs and they were a LIFESAVER! You are looking up a lot, so standing gets wearysome on your neck. Grass is dewey, so sitting in it isn't very fun. there are picnic tables there, but they're really full, and it's just easier not to have to circle one until a family leaves then pounce on it.Listed in: Best of the Best of ABQ 2010
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Review from Courtney S.
Los Angeles, CA
10/13/2008 4 photos
STUNNING!! This event is so spectacular!!
There is nothing like hundreds of balloons drifting from the ground to the sky... what an amazing sight!
Unlike the other reviewers, we got here around 7 am. Yeah, there was a bit of traffic coming into to park. We were coming from Santa Fe, so maybe we hit less traffic than those coming from Albuquerque, though. It took us about 20 minutes to half an hour from when we pulled off the freeway to when we parked. Parking was $10.
Originally, we had thought we could find a place to watch the balloons from a distance, but I'm so glad we didn't! It was really worth it ($6 admission) to be in the middle of the balloons pumping up, preparing, and lifting off.
We went on a Friday morning for the Special Shapes Rodeo-- it was pretty cool! Flying houses, cathedrals, Darth Vader, Nemo, and others. After they had a Key Grab Contest, where there are keys put on top of a pole. Balloonists need to sweep down and grab the keys from the pole-- who ever does this wins the car the keys go to!
If I had known about it, we probably would have done the park and ride thing, but oh well. It was nice that our schedule was our own. After the morning fiesta ended, we wandered to the Balloon Museum, which was interesting in its own right.
This event is worth visiting at least once in your life! I highly recommend a visit!!Listed in: October Trip to New Mexico
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Review from Ronda T.
Corrales, NM
6/21/2010
I moved to Albuquerque 11 years ago and I love the balloon fiesta. We usually go to one mass ascension on one day and another night we go to a balloon glow. There are usually music performers at the glows. Someone commented that there is nothing to do all day and that you have to pay for parking again. You do have to pay again, but there is plenty to do in Albuquerque!
If you want to view balloons and not go onto the field, a good spot is often near the river. You can often see balloonists trying to "splash and dash" into the rio grande river. There are parking spots on west Alameda Ave near the river where you can walk out onto a bridge and watch the balloons. These can make for beautiful photos.
There is usually a wine festival during the day the first weekend of fiesta and chainsaw carving events on the field. Also, there are events and things to see in Albuquerque in the middle of the day like the balloon museum, the zoo, aquarium, art museum, explora children's museum, natural history museum, old town, nob hill, the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts, and Greek Festival.
By the way, the people running around in black and white and usually wearing silly hats are the ZEBRAS (they are the referees for the event that help launch balloons at the right time).
For RV/Travel Trailer folks, there is an RV park directly across from the Balloon Fiesta park.
Here are some tips:
*You can buy VIP tickets/parking on the balloon fiesta website.
*During the glows, you can collect cards from each balloon. Also, some of them pass out little mementos (like the energizer bunny balloon hands out hats that look like ears). You want to get those early because they often run out.
*The last day of the fiesta, the balloonists all come back to the park to tailgate with champagne and snacks.
*Wear a silly hat or buy one when you arrive. It is a ballooning tradition.
*There are many reputable Balloon companies locally if you want to try going up in a balloon. It is a peaceful flight. -
Review from Tom C.
Rio Rancho, NM
1/24/2009
An *incredible* event to go visit. Despite how much of it you can see from outside the park, there's nothing to quite compare with prying yourself out of bed extra early and being there on the field to see all the balloons go up. The crowds are large, but agreeable. I definitely enjoyed the convenience of taking the park-n-ride bus down and not having to fight the massive traffic jams to get in there and park. It's really something that all the describing in the world isn't gonna do a lick of justice to. You just have to get there and see it for yourself! Bring the kids!
