2024 'Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta' Starts Today!

JeeperDon

JeeperDon

Member
Location
New Mexico, USA
"The largest hot air balloon festival in the world is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which takes place annually in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the first full week of October. This event features over 500 hot air balloons and attracts up to 100,000 spectators each day."

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We had this kind of balloon festival in our county for a few years. Misa and I met a balloon pilot that was being excluded from the show because the last time his balloon went down in a populated area in our city. He made very strange balloons also...he got us very involved that year in how the festival is organized and politicized. Seems like nothing can be for fun anymore.

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When I lived in the next town from where I am now, they had a similar event. I remember dogs in the neighborhood barking like mad and than deep whooshing sound the balloons made. Some flew right over our house and people in them waved to us.

I recall one weekday at work, a balloon was coming into our office building's large lawn very low. It was apparent it was crashing. We could see a car rushing to it from behind. The balloon landed, not really crashing but a hard landing, the basket tipped over and some people fell out. The people in the car rushed to assist.

We could tell the people were OK by the way they all got up and were walking around.
 
I rode in a hot air balloon a long time ago. That was one of the coolest things. Since you go with the wind, there is no breeze on you, and it's totally no sound- at all. I'm terrified of heights, but had no problem in the balloon. It's an extremely calming thing.
If you can, hop on one- you'll love it.
 
I was in Albuquerque once when the festival was going on and it was a wonderful site. Scottsdale used to have a similar but smaller festival but city growth took care of that one. Have fun soaking up the atmosphere !
 
I've been to that balloon festival. I did a painting of it one year. Acrylic paint on a pretty large canvas, about 3.5 by 5.5 feet. They were called couch canvases back then, because you'd hang them above your couch.

I got 5 or 6 hundred for it at the Arts Fair...or Artists Fair. I think it's called The Maker's Fair now. Anyway, that was pretty good for a totally unknown artist. But it was one of my best paintings up to that point.
 
MarkinPhx said:
I was in Albuquerque once when the festival was going on and it was a wonderful site. Scottsdale used to have a similar but smaller festival but city growth took care of that one. Have fun soaking up the atmosphere !
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I live about an hour North of Albuquerque. If we're going to town this time of year we see them from quite a ways off and one year a stray made it up to my town. Never did find out the story on that. If it was deliberate or not.
 

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