TRAVEL
RISING ABOVE Hot-air balloon festivals from New Mexico to next door offer uplifting views and opportunities. BY CHRIS HALL | CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
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don’t know about you, but whenever I see a hot-air balloon rising aloft in the blue skies, I invariably start to hum the tune “Up, Up and Away,” a song by Jimmy Webb made famous in 1967 by the group The Fifth Dimension. The cheerful colors and uplifting buoyancy of hot-air balloons can’t help but make most people smile. What is it about these colorful orbs moving silently through the skies that has so many people intrigued with them? They certainly are romantic—their history stretches back to 1783 France, when two brothers demonstrated their invention in front of a crowd of dignitaries. Ten years later, the hot-air balloon made its way to America, and by the time the U.S. Civil War was in full force, the Union had formed the Union Army Balloon Corps, consisting of seven hot-air balloons that did air reconnaissance over battlefields, establishing an integral part of what would become modern logistics strategy. TAKING TO THE SKIES Today, hot-air balloons are used mostly for recreation. Thousands of people each year take part in balloon festivals as pilots, crew members, passengers, spectators or photographers. And the granddaddy festival of them all is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Held the first week of October, when the southwest air is crisp and cool, the next festival will be October 1-9. For 50 years, this balloon festival has hosted hot-air balloons from all over the world floating above the New Mexican desert over nine days of perfect conditions. Each day, the Fiesta starts off with Dawn Patrol: a group of specially trained balloon pilots who take off early to test the air density and
prevailing winds. This will ensure that conditions are safe for all the other balloon pilots the rest of the day. One of the most impressive sights of the morning is the Mass Ascension. This is when the 500-plus balloons in attendance rise at the same time. This makes for an awe-inspiring scene over the arid landscape. Cameras click nonstop, as you can’t get a bad photo when the vibrant colors fill the skies. And don’t fret about the balloons bumping into each other—each pilot and crew flies at a coordinated time to prevent this. It is orchestrated beautifully after many years of practice. Balloon Glow is another special event at the Fiesta. It occurs in the evening as dusk falls. The balloons are inflated but tethered to the ground. Spectators can wander around them for an up-close view, often including signs with statistics about each balloon such as how old it is, what country it is from and more. While at the Fiesta, you don’t have to stay grounded. The opportunity for balloon rides is plentiful. Prices start around $200 per ride. If you prefer to stay on the ground, you have one-third of a mile of food vendors to choose from for a meal. The smell of roasting chiles or fresh tortillas will surely tempt you more than once. Over 900,000 people attend the Fiesta, making it the largest balloon festival in the United States. CLOSER TO HOME If you can’t make it to Albuquerque but still want to experience a hot-air balloon event, we have several right here in the Midwest. www.crwmagazine.com JUNE/JULY 2022 43
