Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

OMG. Sooooo Ah-mazing! This is a Bucket list MUST. *Wear comfortable shoes*Bring/Take a chair, blanket(s)*Buy tickets on the Balloon Fiesta website*You will get up very early *There are shows / venues Family of 4 adults had a blast at the Special shapes, glow-deo, drone and fireworks show(s). There are many vendors from art, jewelry, clothing, and food sectors so bring lots of cash (concealed, of course) or have a nice credit card limit. Parking is seamless going in. Leaving is an entirely different issue. Best bet, Park and Ride from various city-wide locations or park your vehicle in area where you can get out in under 1 1/2 hour (not that this has happened to me) :)In my opinion, the best day was the Special Shapes. However, all days at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta are magical. Have a great time!

Mind blowing experience! From the research process to the planning, to the execution of getting there and anticipated hiccups, what a great experience! Don't want to share more stories, just go and experience it yourself. This is worth taking your favorite people to enjoy their busk festivities.Food was definitely overpriced. Two cups of medium sized brewed coffee and two donuts $25. You are allowed to bring food and drinks, plan accordingly.Some folks brought camping chairs, some brought large blankets. Bring a warm coat if you're watching the 5:45 AM dawn patrol. But bring a large rimmed hat or even an umbrella if you plan to spend the afternoon checking out the booths. It was 83 degrees and the sun was hot. Definitely wear comfortable shoes. Enjoy!

There are a few things you should put on your bucket list, and i think this one is an easy one to check off your list. the event was extremely cool and unique and amazing. We woke up at around 3am and left to the mall from our airbnb. I highly highly highly getting the bus shutter tickets, since driving there will result in hour long traffic. If you get the shuttle transport, it'll save you so much time. We actually waited until 430am before we were able to get into the "fair grounds" and we spent the next two hours or so roaming around and checking out all the shops and places to eat. (keep in mind, the food/drinks are expensive and it might be better to bring in drinks or snacks if you can)I think the reason, we came so early was to witness the drone show which was sponsored from the local casino. The drone show was actually really cool. It showed a balloon traveling to places all over the world. As for the ascension of all the hot air ballons, it didn't really start until 7am or so. but the cool thing is that you can walk all over the grounds to check out different ballons. we went on the last day of the event, and we typically saw the normal round shaped ballons. I heard from others, that friday was the day to go, if you wanted to see the special shapes. But nonetheless, witnessing so many ballons in the sky was such a magical event as the sun was coming up from the mountain ridges. Definitely glad i was able to check this event out!TLDR:1. get shuttle passes 2. Get a good night sleep, and wake up early3. Bring drinks or food if you can. 4. Wear something warm, since it can get very cold in the morning5. Wander around and take videos and photos

Once in a lifetime experience People have used words like "surreal, miraculous, and magical."Beauty is found in much creativity and coordination. Seeing all the balloons go up at the same time all from different people and places gives me a glimmer of hope that wonder and friendship are connected, that we are much stronger together than apart.Of course, it is all to make money too. And I hope that it does. The city welcomes people from all around the world and its hospitality is just as magical as the colors lit up in the sky in the early dawn and the late dusk.

Bucket list event - check!We decided to come down to Albuquerque six months ago and decided week of what day to attend the festival. I highly recommend the convenience of the park and ride option. For the 4 am departure, we arrived at 3 am. Did we need to get there that early, probably not. 330 am totally fine. The am session was amazing. Pricing to the fest is reasonable- just ensure you are on their official site and not a 3rd party site. Prices for food and drinks surprisingly not overpriced. My tips1. Morning session is cold outside. Coat or sweatshirt recommended. (I ended up buying a coffee and a hot chocolate to keep warm)2. Bring a blanket for warmth and to sit on in the field. (You can bring a chair in, but then you gotta carry ir around). 3. Book lodging way in advance as this is the largest event in town. Such a fun event!

Omg went to the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta opening ceremony for the first time. Exhausted. We booked our hotel in January 2024 for this because it's such a popular event.We had to sit in a long line on Balloon Museum Drive just to be told by staff once we almost got to Jefferson to u-turn and make 3 lefts and then you'll be at some parking lot - except that information was wrong. We were able to park in the Road Runner lot for $20 at the corner of Alameda & Balloon Museum Drive. How does staff not know this and why weren't there signs with this information so people weren't having to sit in a huge line just to be told to turn around? This festival happens at the same place every year.My husband and I got there at 3 AM to get parking, gates opened at 4:30 AM. The 10 minute drone show finished at 6 AM. First balloon didn't lift off until 7:42 AM due to high winds delaying launch. What happened in between? Waiting. Lots of waiting with little information about what was going on. Oh also, it's pitch black outside where people are trying to find seats on the lawn while bringing toddlers in wagons, strollers and the mountain of kit parents travel with. For the love of God, please stop bringing small children to events like this. Kids were MELTING down because there is like a bazillion people, it's during the time they'd most likely be asleep and it just lasts too long. The opening ceremony was 5:30 AM - noon, with gates opening at 4:30 AM. It's inappropriate to expect any child to not lose it under those conditions. So many kids were crying, screaming, running around demanding snacks and toys, and asking when the balloons would start, from 4 AM while we stood in line to get in until nearly 8 AM when the balloons finally began take off. Okay, you're an adult that wants to go to the Balloon Fiesta? Get family to babysit overnight or wait until your kids are older. It's just gross seeing parents have no concern for their children's limitations. This is definitely a one-and-done type event for me. It's just way too early and too many people to do this on the regular. If you love crowds, crowds, crowds and overpriced fair food while seeing hot air balloons, you'll enjoy this. Visited October 2024

My 1 star in NO way reflects the ACTUAL fiesta (once you FINALLY get there) the event itself is easily 5 ! First the fantastic: Absolutely magical being SO close to the balloons as they were launching. We attended both morning and evening sessions on Thursday/Friday and Saturday to see mass ascension. Getting up that early was totally worth it!! The drone show was amazing and the overall experience for $15 general admission is a steal. Photos do not capture the magic of going to the balloon festival, add this trip to your bucket list! All the volunteers and workers are the sweetest. Very welcoming. Now for the bad. 1) The traffic. I am glad we got multiple session tickets as even with park/ride it took us 3 hrs to go 5miles so the first day we totally missed sunrise (got there at 7 altho we got to Coronado park/ride at 5:30).. Your ticket time does not matter (it should!). The buses DO NOT have dedicated lanes, That was not completely true advertising. They do have a dedicated entrance. Still took us almost an hour to get there (once in the bus). Not to mention the other 1.5hrs WAITING TO GET IN THE BUS! For even more details find Matt's review below.. he gets ALL our frustration in a beautifully detailed and appropriately angry post. Now...after this experience trying to get to the park add $45-115 to your general admission ticket cost and you'll arrive at 2) chasers/gondola club: food is mediocre at best (better at the gondola but not worth the $). Cold food. Morning gondola says open bar but not until 7am. IMHO you're better off buying personal heating packs and saving all that $ and getting the food you actually want. So many awesome vendors. Again- find a way to keep food hot in the cold morning. Otherwise, nothing would be hot for more than a few mins. We had gondola tickets for Saturday morning. HORRIBLE directions and when you actually manage to get there... the sign is so tiny that we almost missed the turn! food... little quantity...lukewarm when you get it so it's cold by the time you sit in the cold outdoors w not enough heaters. Chairs felt like you were going to break them (same with chasers) For the price, we should've been in a special lane/had more heating in am/cool in pm n more comfy chairs. Just as the buses gondola members should've had a special lane. And better signs all around as everyone seems lost.

Bucket list trip! This road trip was so fun with my girls! We got a tip from our hotel about being on the grounds by 3:30am, super early, but so so worth it. There's not a bad place to watch the festivities. The events schedule is the whole weekend. We saw craftsmanship, drone shows, shopping, an amazing fireworks show and of course waves and waves of hot air balloons. If you are extra brave, you can take a trip up in a balloon to unlock a core memory.

Where else can you watch 545 hot air balloons launch in one spot every year for the past 51 years? Booked hotel reservations for one week at inflated rates six months in advance. Paid airfare to Albuquerque, 1200 miles flying distance, higher than the airfare to Honolulu, 2400 miles flying distance. Paid rental car through Costco rentals. Got up at 5am, ate breakfast at 530am at our hotel, left the hotel at 6am. The 8 mile drive took 40 minutes, the last 2 miles 30 minutes, with traffic gridlock off the freeway 25 heading north. And this was with traffic cones and traffic control supervised by police. Paid $20, cash only, to park. Walked 20 minutes from the parking lot near Presbyterian Administration to the entrance to the festival. Paid $33 for two $15 tickets, no senior discount, but children under 12 free, with a 10% surcharge for credit card. Tickets have no in and out privileges and are good for only the current session once scanned. Wore long pants, heavy shirt, heavy sweater, and Hoka running shoes for the 2.5 miles of walking. It's cold at 6am with temperatures in the 40s. You can bring in chairs, wagons, foods, strollers, but no alcohol and no dogs!Huge lines for the dozen of porta potties. The more reason I prefer the separate mens and womens lines. 7am starting time for the special shapes balloon rodeo. Wall to wall people, including many with wagons for their kids. Watched images of Yoda, Tasmanian Devil, London Bobby, Police Dog, Felix the Cat, . Some like Darth Vader and Mirabelle the Cow never made if off the ground. 830am the special shapes balloons start coming back to the ground, and deflated. Took a picture of the wife just as one special shapes balloon deflated. Wife took a picture of me, with the balloon tip of the tongue right on my forehead. Trekked back to the car by 10am. Empty parking lot. Car next to us had two adults sleeping, mouths open, and all windows open. They too got up at 5am, and knew traffic was bad going back to the freeway.Came back Saturday. Woke up at 4am, left the hotel at 5am. Took 2 hours to cover 8 miles. Left freeway 25 three exits before, and took the Pan American bypass through two exits. Arrived at the parking lot at 7am, 20 minute walk to get to the balloon fiesta field, just in time to see the mass ascension. One hour later winds pick up and the rest of the balloons including Darth Vader are left to deflate before getting off the ground. At least I didn't come back Sunday, as the winds were so strong that they couldn't even launch the balloons, much to the disappointment of all those who got up at 4am, fought hours of congested traffic, and paid good money to attend. No refunds.

I had a truly amazing time here at the Balloon Fiesta two weeks ago. It was their 51st running and when I tell you it was big, it was huge! Over 500 balloons and acres of food, fun, and tents!I went for the Night event, one where the balloons do not fly but blow up and shine their torch. It started at sunset but you need to get there at least an hour or two early. I went around 3:30 and got in the line for parking. On site parking is $20 (cash!) and about a ten minute walk. I found it fine. The entrance was crowded and could have used some crowd control, but soon enough I was in! There are two huge souvenir tents for official merchandise, and countless other booths selling everything!Lots of food too, many stands (and lines) selling meats, fair food, drinks, and more! I was so busy running around, I didn't eat anything. There wasn't much particularly balloon themed, mostly generic carnival food. The evening came and the balloons inflated. What fun! You can go right up and watch the big fire jets. You can talk about balloons with the owners, and collect trading cards! Then go see the next balloon, and repeat for hours!They have periodic "all-burns" at night where everyone lights up. Great photo ops! Make sure you bring enough camera charge!They have a aerial show at night, and fireworks to cap it off. I left and walked back before the fireworks. Then watching them from my car, was able to leave the parking lot well before the crowds came back. What an amazing time, and I can't wait for next year!