2018 ABQ Balloon Fiesta Guide

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning event in the world, and with 700+ balloons participating, the Fiesta Park is huge covering over 80 acres. Traffic around the park is crazy the week of the Fiesta, and with so many different events happening all week long, it can be a bit confusing planning what to see and when to get there, so here is a quick guide to the highlights of this year's festival on October 6-14.

The Dawn Patrol and Morning Glow events start at 5:45 in the morning. Watching a dozen glowing choreographed balloons launch to music in the darkness is a favorite of many and not to be missed. To catch this, you need to be up EARLY. Be sure to check the website first for any last minute weather delays, but if everything looks good, you want to leave early to beat the ABQ and balloon traffic. From most spots in Albuquerque it is best to take the Alameda Exit to the Balloon Park. Make sure to dress warm; it can be chilly before the sun comes up. Parking costs $15, but if you can bring a bike, they offer a free bike valet service. It cost $10 to get into the park, though there are lots of good spots just outside where you can still see most of the best stuff. The Morning GLow is best experienced inside the Park, however, with the sounds of balloons filing up around you in the dark.

Once the sun is up, the Mass Ascension begins, at 7 AM, and is what the gathering is most known for. Crews begin setting up and taking off into the air, in several waves. You can walk around and talk to the pilots and crews. Pretty much every balloon goes up at this time, and provides an amazing spectacle, that can be viewed from on the launch field, on the hill inside the park, or from one of the many public parks and open spaces surrounding the Fiesta Grounds. Some people always try to view the balloons from atop Sandia Crest that overlooks the city, but are usually disappointed. The views of the city are great, but the balloons are too small and far away to be very impressive. Another alternative is to get kayak or stand-up paddleboard and go out on the Rio Grande from the Alameda Bridge. The river passes pretty close to the Fiesta, and the current is practically nonexistent. Some people really enjoy leisurely paddling around and watching the balloons ascend , with many coming to land by the river's edge (if they can, sometimes they land in the river itself).