Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

The fiesta began in 1972 with thirteen balloons and now runs around five hundred over nine days in early October, which makes it the largest gathering of hot-air balloons anywhere. It works here because of the Albuquerque Box: in the mornings, cold air drains down the Rio Grande valley moving south at low level while winds above move north, so a pilot can rise, drift one way, climb, and come back over the launch field - a circulation that exists in this valley and few other places. Mass ascension mornings launch hundreds at once from first light. Special shape balloons fly on set days, and evening glows light the envelopes on the ground without flying.

What you actually see

• Around five hundred balloons - the largest gathering anywhere.
• The Albuquerque Box - a wind circulation letting pilots return to the field.
• Mass ascensions at dawn - hundreds launching together.
• Evening glows - envelopes lit on the ground.

When to go

Early October, over the nine days. A morning, arriving before dawn.

Honest expectations

Sessions start before sunrise in near-freezing cold, and traffic in and out is heavy. Launches cancel for wind or rain without much notice. Accommodation across the city books out months ahead. Tickets are per session.

Nearby

Old Town Albuquerque is south; the Sandia Peak tramway is east.