Your Guide to
BALLOON FIESTA EVENTS ®
MORNING EVENTS:
Albuquerque Aloft™
Flight of the Nations
Friday, October 1, approximately 7:00 AM: On the Friday before Balloon Fiesta begins, balloons fly from select elementary schools throughout Albuquerque and from all of Rio Rancho’s elementary schools. Some school PTAs sell food and hot beverages, making the Balloon Fiesta’s visit to their school a true community event.
Wednesday, October 6: The Flight of the Nations at Wednesday’s Mass Ascension honors pilots from all the nations participating in Balloon Fiesta, many of whom launch flying their national flag.
Dawn Patrol/Dawn Patrol Show presented by Route 66 Casino Hotel and RV Resort
Daily, approximately 6 AM: This “balloon glow in the sky” features as many as a dozen balloons. On Mass Ascension days, pilots perform the Dawn Patrol Show, a choreographed inflation and launch set to music.
Mass Ascensions and Krispy Kreme Morning Glow
Weekends and Wednesday: The spectacular Mass Ascensions of hundreds of hot-air balloons are the Balloon Fiesta’s signature events and are preceded by the Krispy Kreme Morning Glow, a “mini” balloon glow. Special Shape Mass Ascensions on Thursday and Friday October 7 and 8 feature “special shape” balloons.
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Special Shape Rodeo™
Competitions
Weekdays, approximately 8 AM: In ballooning competitions, pilots use winds at different altitudes to reach a target and drop a marker so it lands as close to the center of the target as possible. The competitions also feature the Ring Toss, where pilots fly to poles at Balloon Fiesta Park to win fabulous prizes! Overall winners are determined by individual pilots’ cumulative scores during Balloon Fiesta week.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® 2021 Official Program
Thursday/Friday, October 7 - 8: These special mass ascensions showcase the incredible craftsmanship, creativity, and artistry that makes monsters, critters, and just about anything else you can imagine take flight.
