Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2006

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is an annual massive gathering of balloonists from around the world in Albuquerque, New Mexico, held from October 6 through 15, 2006. This event, the largest of its kind in the world, lasts nine days and includes a fleet of nearly 750 hot air balloons with pilots from around the world. On any given day, up to 100,000 spectators may be on the launch field where they are provided the rare opportunity to observe inflation and take off procedures up close. Countless more people gather at landing sites all over the city to watch incoming balloons.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta began as a small gathering of 13 balloons in 1972, but has grown each year since and today is the largest balloon convention in the world.

During the convention, several different events occur: mass ascensions, special shapes ascensions, night glows, and a variety of balloon competitions. The convention has also become a major showcase of New Mexican culture and history and features numerous cultural exhibitions. The fiesta has become a major event in Albuquerque every fall, attracting tourists from across the state, the nation, and even the world. The fiesta is one of Albuquerque's largest tourist attractions and constitutes a major source of income for the city and local businesses. Typically, tourists and fiesta visitors take thousands of pictures of the balloons, so it is no surprise that for several years the fiesta was sponsored by Kodak and was given the title, the Kodak Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, though that title was usually only used in print ads and on official memorabilia. Kodak no longer sponsors the fiesta, and the official name has returned to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Part of the reason for the success of the Fiesta are the cool Albuquerque morning temperatures in October and the Albuquerque box. The "box" is a set of predictable wind patterns that can be exploited to navigate the balloons. At low elevations the winds tend to be northerly, but at higher elevations they tend to be southerly. Balloonists use these winds to navigate in a vertical box: they ascend slightly from the launch park, move south, ascend further, move north, descend, and repeat the box or land back in the launch park or quite nearby.

Balloon Fiesta Park is located on the northern edge of the city. Visitors can now enjoy the multi-million dollar Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum on the grounds, which recounts the last three decades of the convention as well as a general history of ballooning. It opened in October 2005, in conjunction with the Balloon Fiesta.

The 2006 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta had as its theme: "Out Of The Blue." We have posted photos of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on this website. Also, we invite you to send free online postcards (e-cards) of the the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta to your friends and family courtesy of abqstyle.com!