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The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest balloon gathering in the world! In 2022, the Balloon Fiesta celebrated 50 years and welcomed 648 balloons from 20 countries and 828,800 people!

This is not just the largest balloon event in the world—it is also the most photographed event in the world—for good reason! It is a beautiful sight to behold! So get ready to feast your eyes. You will be in awe.

We first attended the Balloon Fiesta in 2019, and we can’t wait to go again! If you are planning your first trip, our Albuquerque Balloon Festival tips tell you everything you need to know for a breathtaking experience!

General balloon fiesta Tips

Weekends are much busier than weekdays. Make plans to come during the week to avoid peak crowds!
If you are driving from a hotel or campground, Park and Ride may be a faster and easier option. Park and Ride tickets are booked online and may sell out in advance. Be sure to plan ahead!.
There is not a “best day” to attend the Balloon Fiesta, but the most popular event is the mass ascensions on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Bring a jacket and dress in layers. It is generally chilly in the mornings and late evenings and you’ll want a light coat and perhaps a hat.

Hot air balloon fiesta with balloons being inflated and taking off

Seating is minimal on the grounds of the fiesta. There are a few benches and picnic tables here and there, but they are tough to snag. If you cannot stand for long you may want to bring a light folding chair or a picnic blanket.
Less is more. Only bring what you need. You will be walking around enjoying the beautiful balloons. You will not want to carry around a lot of stuff all day.

Do not walk on or touch the nylon balloons. The fabric is easily damaged and very expensive to repair. So be sure to pay attention to where you are walking, especially if it’s dark.
You will want to take a lot of pictures of this event! The best lighting will be a sunrise and sunset, but it will be hard to miss that Instagram worthy shot no matter what time of day!
Download the App! The balloon fiesta has an app with the event schedule, maps, FAQs, a list of booths, and more. But the best thing about the app is the weather notifications. The fiesta will send you notifications letting you know if the balloons will fly each day or will be grounded.
Watch Balloon Fiesta Live on TV! KOB 4 has more than 40 hours of live uninterrupted commercial-free coverage of the ascensions, glows, shapes, competitions, and more. You can also watch the live feed on the Balloon Fiesta app! See all the action in your jammies!
Events are weather dependent and can be canceled for more than a few days in a row depending on wind, rain, storms, etc. Albuquerque and Santa Fe are great places to explore on days when the balloons are grounded.
The balloon pilots gather for their morning brief at 6:30 am. If the morning event is canceled or delayed, it will be announced at that time.

Arrive early for every event. Gates open at 4:30 for morning events and 3:30 pm for evening events. Getting through security will take longer than you expect. You don’t want to be standing in line as the balloons lift off.
Separate tickets are required for the morning and evening events. Tickets are $15 per person. Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket booth at the gate. Buy them online to save time. Kids 12 and under are free.
Tickets are not specific to a day or a session. You can use your tickets anytime.

If an event is canceled due to weather, you can use your ticket for another day.
Weather announcements can be found on the official Balloon Fiesta app, Twitter page, KKOB 770 AM Radio, and the local TV station KOB channel 4.
There are plenty of vendors selling food and drinks. The food it typically fair food.
Dogs are allowed at the camping areas but NOT on the launch field unless they are service animals.

View up into the inside of a hot air balloon

balloon fiesta events

Dawn Patrol

Dawn patrol began at the fiesta in 1978 and although technology can tell the balloon pilots what they need to know about wind speed and direction this ceremony continues.

Dawn Patrol begins inflating at 5:45 am and launch around 6 am on mass ascension days. The Dawn Patrol is choreographed and the launch is set to music.

Morning Glow

Balloons are inflated before sunrise while tethered to the ground. The pilots turn on the burners and the balloons light up like huge Christmas ornaments. The morning glow starts around 6:30 am and lasts about 30 minutes. After the glow, the balloons launch during the mass ascension.

national anthem

Each morning just before the mass ascension the Balloon Fiesta will play the national anthem. It may be recorded or sung live by a special guest. While the national anthem plays the balloon pilot of the day will lift off with the American flag attached to their balloon. It is a very moving experience. We loved it every single time.

Mass Ascension

Mass ascension is an epic display of color, beauty, and aviation. Hundreds of balloons launch during a 2 hour period.

The balloon launch is coordinated for safety. Rows on either end of the launch field will get the ok from the zebras (balloon launch coordinators in black and white striped clothing) to inflate and then launch. The zebras continue row by row until all the balloons are launched.

Balloons start launching around 7 am after Dawn Patrol, Morning Glow, and the National Anthem. Mass ascension is not daily so be sure to check the schedule. You do NOT want to miss this event.

Hot air balloon fiesta with hot air balloons, people, and hot air balloons in the air.

Balloon Launch

The balloon launch is a smaller version of the mass ascension and is scheduled on weekdays. It lasts about an hour and is still a spectacular view. It is a great time to attend the fiesta because the crowds are much smaller.

Balloons start launch about 7 am after Dawn Patrol, Morning Glow, and the National anthem.

Evening Balloon Glows

Afterglow, Magic Glow, and Twinkle Glow are similar to the morning glow. Balloons are inflated but remain tethered to the ground. If you want to feel like a kid again, this is your event. The balloon glows usually begin around 6 pm.

AFTERGLOW fireworks

The fireworks production was amazing. It is a unique show well worth hanging around to see at least once! The fireworks start right after the evening glow.

Special Shapes

The Special Shape Glowdeo and Rodeo began in 1989 with 28 balloons. Today over 100 uniquely shaped balloons participate in the special shapes events in the morning and evening. This the most popular event for the kids! You can find balloons shaped like animals, cartoon characters and so much more.

During the morning session these unique balloons will inflate and launch. The evening event is a glow and they will be tethered to the ground.

The morning event usually begins around 7 am and the evening around 6 pm.

Old alarm clock with face and hands shaped hot air balloon

pilot competitions

America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race is one of the world's two premier distance races for gas balloons. The rules are simple the team that travels the farthest wins! The balloon pilots could spend up to 4 days in the air, so they have to take everything they need with them, including clothing, food, fuel, and gear.

A Swiss team currently holds the balloon race record at 2,281 miles. This team landed in Labrador City in Newfoundland, Canada. Although, most pilots only fly to a neighboring state. Watching the pilots inflate their balloons and then track their distance is fun. Choose your favorite team and follow their flight.

The race usually starts on the first day of the Balloon Fiesta in the afternoon.

Getting Around

If you are camping on the Fiesta grounds, you will not be able to drive over to the launch field.

WALK - Walking to the launch field can take up to 30 minutes, depending on the location of your campsite. There is plenty of sidewalks and a path that takes you under the heavy traffic so you can safely walk to the launch field.

SHUTTLES - Shuttles are a free, easy, and popular way to get around. Shuttles start at 4 am and run until 10 pm on days with events in the morning and evening. Shuttle stops are in the Standard and Premium camping lots. There is handicap access for wheelchairs or scooters.

COMMUTING - If you are not staying on the grounds, prepare for traffic and long lines to enter the launch field. Driving into the morning events will take much longer than you expect, so give yourself plenty of time to arrive before the balloons start inflating.

BIKES - We rode our Lectric eBikes from our campsite to the launch field. They were the perfect way to navigate the Balloon Fiesta.

Bike rentals are available around town but rent out quickly. Call and make reservations early. Our friends Scott and Christina rented bikes and a bike carrier from a local bike shop. They weren’t cheap, but they said it was totally worth the money.

You can rent bikes from Kirtland Air Force Base at a much cheaper rate if you are military. They are first come, first served. Our friends Jay and Jen, said it was easy and inexpensive.

hot air balloon ride

Riding in a hot air balloon is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many people.

The price for a hot air balloon ride at the Fiesta is double to triple the cost of rides at other times of the year. They can be as much as $750 per person.

Even with the inflated cost of the ride, they will book up. If the balloon can not take flight on the day of your reservation, it may be canceled.

Phil & Stacy in a hot air balloon basket above the city — bucket list ✔️

Thank you RV LIFE PRO for the ride of a lifetime!

Volunteer

The Balloon Fiesta is a not-for-profit organization that needs more than 1,000 volunteers annually, called navigators. Navigators help to staff the information booth, assist in the media tent, help with the shuttles, and check in campers. You can also volunteer to crew for a hot air balloon, which many people enjoy.

Volunteering has benefits, including free admission, free parking, and more. Find out everything you need to know here.

Hot air balloons at night lit up from inside

Where to Stay

Staying off the grounds

Campgrounds

There are many campgrounds within driving distance of the Balloon Fiesta. These locations will book up very early so don’t wait to make your reservation.

Hotel, Airbnb

Planning to stay at a hotel, Airbnb, or other rental? This is the largest event in New Mexico’s so book early. Also, expect prices to be higher for lodging during the Fiesta.

Camping at the balloon fiesta

Activities start before 6 a.m., and traffic is insane so we recommend camping on site to avoid the commute! The ability to walk, bike, or shuttle over to the launch field will allow you to sleep a LOT longer each morning!

Parking is rally style. If you plan to attend the Fiesta with friends, arrive together, or you will not be parked next to each other.

The Fiesta does not have shower facilities, so your RV must be self-contained. There is no dump or water fill onsite, so arrive with empty black and grey tanks and a full fresh water tank. Venders are available to dump and fill for a fee.

Standard (South lot)

This is our favorite lot! We were able to watch the balloons fly over our RV and land right in front of us. We even helped a few of the balloons land!

Description: Dry camping at $50 a night and does not include fiesta tickets. This site is about a 15-20 min walk to the field. You can also catch the shuttle or ride bikes to the launch field.

Box view (south lot)

It gives you the best view for watching the balloons land in the box and you will see them flying overhead as they leave the launch field.

Description: Dry camping at $60 a night and does not include fiesta tickets. This site is about a 15-20 min walk to the field.

Premium (South Lot)

The premium sites are a few rows away from the box. You can’t see the box from your RV but it’s only a few minutes walk.

Description: 30 Amp and water at $100 a night. Price does not include fiesta tickets. This site is about a 15-20 min walk to the field.

VIP North, west, East

This is the best location to view the fireworks and morning ascension. Adjacent to the field so access is fast and easy. North lot may be aware it will be very loud during the fireworks.

Description: Dry camping at $115 a night. Includes 2 general admission tickets ($60 daily value).

Hot air balloon landing on the ground with crew

President’s Compound

Sites are on a bluff overlooking the Launch Field. Includes 4 entry passes. This elevated area allows for great views of the launch field and the balloons launching.

Description: 30 and 50 amp with city water at $250.00 a night.

No Rv

Don’t have an RV but still want to stay on the grounds. The fiesta has you covered! You can rent a glamping tent for $1600 or a regular tent for $800.

ALBUQUERQUE Balloon Fiesta

We hope you have a wonderful time at the Balloon Fiesta! It will be an experience you will never forget.

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