🎈 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (Held Annually)

I had the chance to attend this spectacular event twice while living in ABQ! The fiesta usually takes place over 9 days, starting on the first Saturday of October and running through the following Sunday. There are two sessions each day: 🌞 Morning session: The balloons lift off and float across the sky. After they land, there are other activities like woodcarving demonstrations. 🌛 Evening session: Known as the "Balloon Glow," where balloons light up like giant lanterns — almost like a bonfire party in the sky! 🐄 Special Shape Rodeo on Thursday and Friday mornings: You’ll see all kinds of fun character-shaped balloons — from giant cows and bees to dinosaurs! 🎈 There’s also a Balloon Museum nearby. It’s not huge, but it’s definitely worth a visit! Official name: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Website: https://balloonfiesta.com/ Tickets can be bought online (around $15 per person + convenience fee), but I’d recommend buying them on-site — the lines aren’t long, and you get a cool printed ticket as a souvenir! 🎫 There are also special packages available online for balloon rides, VIP access, and more. The 50th anniversary fiesta was extra special, but the weather… oh, the weather! 😅 ABQ boasts 300 sunny days a year, but during those 9 days? Mostly cloudy or rainy 🌧️. I went three times: Opening morning: Bad weather delayed launch until after 9 AM. One evening: It rained so much the session was canceled — and many night glows were called off that week. Thursday’s Special Shapes: Still cloudy, but at least they flew! And there was even drama 🐝: The “baby bee” balloon was stolen right before the Special Shape Rodeo! The pilots of the “bee family” said they wouldn’t fly without the baby. Luckily, it was found just in time! 🐝❤️ Read more: KOB4 News Due to COVID, many pilots couldn’t participate, so there were fewer balloons than usual — but at least the sun came out that time! ☀️ Sadly, I moved away after that and haven’t been back… but it’s an experience I’ll always remember! #BalloonFiesta #Albuquerque #NewMexico #HotAirBalloon #TravelNM #BalloonGlow #SpecialShapes #NewMexicoTravel #BucketList