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The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta turns 50 in 2022, and the vibrant autumn celebration provides an ideal setting for a memorable getaway with a group of friends.
During the nine-day festival, over 500 orbs in every hue of flaming orange, deep blue, hot pink, and sunshine yellow fill the sky. Festival-goers experience a host of events, including the mass ascension of hundreds of balloons, competitions, and unique light shows known as Balloon Glows.
Albuquerque is just one of New Mexico's culturally-rich, historic cities, and the Balloon Fiesta provides a perfect opportunity to include nearby Santa Fe and Taos in your travels. Here are some ideas for spending a long weekend soaking in all the magic the Land of Enchantment has to offer.
Albuquerque and Balloon Fiesta: 2+ Days
The Balloon Fiesta has many events; some recur on multiple days, and certain special events happen once. Each festival day has a Morning Session (5:30 - 10 AM), and most have an Evening Session (5 - 9 PM). Plan to arrive the evening before Day 1 so you can get an early start.
Balloon Fiesta Morning Events (Times may vary)
Dawn Patrol (6 AM daily): Several balloons take off before sunrise to check weather conditions, usually to music.
Morning Glow (6:30 AM, various days): Before sunrise, a line of balloons tethered to the ground burn propane, creating a light show.
Mass Ascension (7 AM weekends): Hundreds of balloons launch in two waves over a two-hour period, filling the skies. Viewers can walk the launch field and observe preparations as balloons are set up, inflated, and launched.
Balloon Launch (7 AM weekdays): A smaller version of Mass Ascension that lasts about an hour. Visitors can walk the field, and because crowds are much smaller, they can get a closer view of the launches.
Balloon Fiesta Events and Activities
America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race: Specially-designed gas balloons compete to travel the farthest distance without coming down. This race starts in Balloon Fiesta Park and can last up to four days.
Special Shape Events: The Special Shapes Rodeo (mornings) and Glowdeo (evenings) are among the Fiesta's most popular events. Balloons range in shape from animals to popular cartoon and movie characters to rocketships and helicopters.
Flying Competitions: Balloon pilots compete in challenges throughout the week to prove their skills at tasks like dropping an object on a target.
Music Fiesta: In addition to live performances featuring local dance and music talent throughout the festival, Music Fiesta is a ticketed event featuring rock and country music performers.
Other Events: A variety of attractions and events usually take place in the afternoons or evenings include skydiving performances, chainsaw carving competitions, car shows, and more.
Balloon Fiesta Evening Balloon Glows
Shortly before dusk, pilots inflate their tethered balloons, then periodically ignite their propane burners to light up their balloons. They also do "all burns," lighting all balloons simultaneously. The evening balloon glows are generally followed by a fireworks show.
Albuquerque
Outside of Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque is full of historical and cultural attractions reflecting the area's fusion of Mexican, Native American, and Spanish heritages. Old Town, where Spanish colonists settled, is a walkable neighborhood with lots of adobe Pueblo-Spanish architecture. Here you'll find museums, artisan shopping, restaurants, and historic Old Town Plaza, anchored by San Felipe de Neri Church, which dates back to 1793.
Learn about the ancient cultures of New Mexico's 19 Pueblos at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, or, with a guide, visit one of the longest inhabited Pueblos in the US (protocols permitting).
Santa Fe 1 - 2 Days
Follow the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe, a fantastic destination in its own right. If you only have a day, take a downtown walking or tram tour with a guide who can illuminate the city's compelling history, architecture, and culture.
Santa Fe is a city of "oldests": the Palace of Governors, built-in 1610, is the oldest capitol building in the US and serves as the New Mexico History Museum. The oldest church in the continental US also resides in Santa Fe. Believed to have been built around 1610, portions of San Miguel Chapel's original walls still stand.
Nearby, a two-story adobe structure named the Oldest House in the US houses a coffee shop. Visitors can view artifacts from the structure's colorful history in the shop's backroom.
The 19th-century Loretto Chapel features an architectural wonder called the Miraculous Staircase, a 22-foot spiraling structure built by an anonymous carpenter using simple tools that amazes modern architects.
Santa Fe is also home to the New Mexico Museum of Art, the Museum of International Folk Art, and the Georgia O'Keefe museum.
Taos 1 Day
The 105-mile drive from Santa Fe to Taos along the High Road Scenic Byway is well worth the time. Along the way, make a stop at the beautiful Santuario de Chimayo, a favorite pilgrimage site for people seeking healing and spiritual growth.
The Taos Pueblo is a thousand-year-old, living Native American community set at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It's the only such community designated both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark.
Taos is a historic American artists' colony set in a majestic landscape that includes the Rocky Mountains and the Rio Grande River Gorge. Explore the outstanding fine arts, culinary, and thriving music scenes.
Are you celebrating a special milestone in 2022? The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta would provide a truly memorable setting. Grand Journey's Travel can create a customized, just-for-you itinerary to help you celebrate.
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