Four years ago, we made a last minute decision to route through Albuquerque rather than across Colorado on our first bus trip east.
We were warned that RV parking might be scarce however, because there was this balloon thingie going on. We scored a last minute site about 40 minutes outside of town, and decided to check it out.
Not expecting much, we went to Balloon Fiesta Park for a night glow during the 40th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
We ended up wandering around the field in complete amazement.
We were walking under actual hot air balloons, bumping into people holding lines as flaring propane jets kept us warm!
The balloons were amazing, enchanting and totally captivated our hearts. And they didn’t even leave the field.
We decided to return in the morning for a mass ascension, getting up at the butt-crack of dawn to catch a shuttle bus in from a remote lot. I remember being bundled up, freezing my patootie off, and then quickly forgetting the cold as I watched the first balloon lift off at sunrise.
I felt like I had been transported to some fairy tale story, and I was a kid left to do nothing but play and be in complete and utter amazement.
I excitedly ran around the field yelling BALLOON! BALLOON! BALLOON!! as I pointed to the sky.
(It’s pronounced ‘BAH-Loooooooon’ in my head, if you’d like the full effect.)
I remember tears running down my cheeks when the number of balloons overhead became utterly overwhelming.
And they just didn’t stop launching, wave after wave after wave right over our heads.
Could anything be more beautiful?
We were on a tight schedule that year needing to make our very first bus rally in our newly acquired Zephyr, and we could not return for a second launch.
But I vowed to return one day.
2015 – The Return Year
As we were deciding with our buddies Travis & Mel where we should host the first Xscapers Convergence, I may have been a little pushy in suggesting the Balloon Fiesta (sorry guys).
I was so excited when I discovered that the event was also on their bucket list, and they were all in with the ideas (thanks guys!).
The motivation to get Zephyr back on the road after her summer renovations was two fold – we wanted to return to Balloon Fiesta, and we absolutely wanted to be there for the first convergence. (And by golly we wanted our house back!)
Mel got in touch with the Balloon Fiesta organizers in late spring and was able to snag a group deal (the same deal the Escapee’s Boomers BOF receives of $5 off per night for those who booked for the whole 9 days).
And there would be Bah-loooooooons!
Xscapers will be returning in 2016 for another Balloon Fiesta Convergence!
(It’s unlikely our routing will have us attending this year, unfortunately.)
RVing at Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
Our buddy Nina wrote an amazing in-depth post about RVing at Balloon Fiesta, and the Fiesta provides a great FAQ document – but I’ll give you the quick overview.
There are three RV lots that let you stay right at the scene of action.
- The Presidential Compound overlooks the center of the launch field with spots perched on the edge of a cliff, and costs $150/night with water & power (2016 Rate is now $175/night), plus session tickets are included. It’s apparently an amazing bucket list type of experience to have this view out your front window – but we never even visited this area, so can’t say.
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Balloons everywhere – you can’t go wrong staying in any of the onsite options! The VIP RV sections are in stumbling distance of the action with a great view of the end of the launch field, and cost $85/night for dry camping (no hook-ups). (2016 Rates are $90/night)
- The Standard/Premium Lot is a bit further away and offers dry camping ($30/night – i.e. the ‘cheap seats’ / 2016 rates are $35/night) and water/electric ($65/night / 2016 rates are $75/night) sites. There’s free regular shuttle service to/from the field during events, a bike valet service at the field entrance, easy sidewalks for walking, and even waste pump out & water delivery available ($25 each).
If you want Presidential or VIP parking, you should reserve way in advance as they do sell out early.
Reservations for the 2016 event will be opening up in a few days on October 20 – and the cancellation policy is pretty forgiving up until mid-July 2016 (just a few bucks to cancel).
You have to reserve a minimum of 3-nights, and all parking assignments are made upon arrival.
There’s a multitude of options for camping with groups – from informal gatherings like our Xscapers groups to highly organized experiences through travel companies.
If you’re good with Standard RV Parking and don’t want to pre-reserve, they say they never sell out and you can drive right in without a reservation. While we were there, weekends looked pretty full – but during the week it was wide wide open.
You can also come in before the events officially kicks off and pay 1/2 price for those days, and you can extend until Sunday evening of the last night of the event.
They do however promptly kick non-staff out on Monday morning. (Not that we know anything about this from personal experience – ahem.)
Our group parked in the cheap seats – the Standard Dry Camping area. Chris and I arrived on Thursday October 1 and left on Monday October 12 (the event officially being Oct 2-11).
And it was FABULOUS.
We were on the south side of launch field, so when the winds came out of the north (which it did more than half of the time) we had amazing fly-overs of balloons drifting over our homes. Some even landed right in the RV parking area.
The walk to the field was easy and kept our FitBits happy. The pump out and water delivery could be scheduled with just a couple hours notice. And there was simply no getting away from generator noises without being in the Presidential area anyway.
So, for our dollars – the cheap seats were just fine. And they certainly beat the chaos of staying outside the park and needing to catch a shuttle or fight traffic gridlock to get in like we did last time.
We loved the convenience of checking the winds closer to launch to determine if we’d have a more fun experience on the launch field, or staying home and watching balloons fly over us. And if an event got canceled, it was no skin off our backs. We always had tomorrow to try again.
There are other options around town too – RV Parks and even free (apparently in 2016, they’re charging!) nearby casino camping at Sandia Resort & Casino.
What Events to Attend
Morning
Every morning before sunrise starts with the Dawn Patrol. About 10 balloons are selected to do a morning glow (a glow is when the balloon inflates, and they have special burners that light up the envelop of the balloon – it’s stunningly beautiful).
If the winds are right, these balloons are also equipped with hanging lights so that they can fly in the dark – and they take off. They then coordinate ‘twinkles’ of glows in the sky.
But the Dawn Patrol is not just for looks. It’s what the other pilots use to get a feel for what the winds are doing. You see, the only steering a balloon has is up or down controlled by how much hot air is released into the canopy… the rest is all completely dependent on the wind patterns the pilot is able to catch. And those winds vary at each elevation. Each pilot maps a 3D model in their head of where the winds might lead them – and skilled pilots can seemingly work magic maneuvering their balloons.
When the green flag is flown at sunrise, then you hear the sounds of gas powered fans starting to cold inflate the first wave of balloons.
And then propane jets fire up injecting hot air that quickly lifts the balloons up from the field, while their crews weigh them down by throwing their bodies on the basket.
Zebras (referees in cool costumes) march around their launch boxes coordinating who inflates and takes off when.
And then, when given the go ahead, the pilot tells their crew to clear, blasts some hot air and gently floats away.
And the most incredible thing? You, as a spectator, can be right up next to the action. There’s no line holding the crowds back, just your own ability to not get in the way.
We lucked out at this year’s event – not a single morning mass ascension was canceled (although several dawn patrols never flew).
Which meant balloons every morning, and non-stop early days for everyone.
A balloon fiesta will drag you into being a morning person. It is impossible to sleep through so much magic!
Evenings
On weekend evenings, there is an evening Glow scheduled. Similar to the Dawn Patrol, except WAY more balloons and no flying. The balloons equipped with glow propane burners (not all are) who participate in the glows keep their balloons inflated on the ground and the whole field lights up.
Once the balloons deflate, there’s an impressive fireworks and laser display to end the evening.
During this event, many of the evening glows got cancelled due to wind, and the ones that went were mostly cut short before the winds kicked up.
During the week (Monday – Wednesday), there are no scheduled evening events – which gives attendees, pilots and crew some much needed catch up time.
Other Events
During the Fiesta, there are other smaller events going on late morning. Demonstration flying of paramotor acrobats, concerts, chainsaw carving demonstrations, and more.
We honestly were too tuckered out and busy with our Xscapers events & crewing to check those other events out.
Also during the week some pilots participate in competition events. When competing, the pilots launch (usually from outside the main launch field) with a goal of flying over and dropping a bean bag or a ring on a target.
It can be fun to be on the field and watch balloons returning from other places to drop markers on a specific location. Especially once you realize how little control a pilot has, it’s quite impressive to see how close they can come after launching from miles away.
One launch that did get canceled was the long range gas balloons. These are balloons lifted by lighter than air gases like helium. They fill them up and see who can go the farthest. In the past they’ve gone multiple days and nights, traveling as far as the Great Lakes and beyond. These balloons can only control their flight by releasing gas (that doesn’t get replenished) and the pilots breath oxygen and sleep in hanging hammocks at 10,000+ feet. It sounds wicked extreme.
Thankfully, during the afternoon there are no official Balloon Fiesta events – which usually translated to nap time.
Volunteer Crewing
There are up to 550 balloons and pilots at the ABQ Balloon Fiesta. Some are professional teams with their own crew. But many are private pilots who arrive without a full crew.
Even a small balloon needs 4-6 people on the ground to get them launched, and a similar number is handy to retrieve, deflate and pack them back up wherever they land. A huge ballon, like the special shapes – can require a dozen folks.
To help with this, the Balloon Fiesta has an easy volunteer program. Just stop by the volunteer area, conveniently located at the entrance, sign a waiver (it probably says something like if you catch balloon fever, they don’t pay for your pilot training), they hand you a free week long crew pass, and then match you up with a pilot when you’re ready.
It’s super easy to get involved. But it’s also a super big commitment if you get suckered into crewing all week long – which is what most pilots prefer. And it’s very tempting.
We had no intention of crewing this time around – given we were also doing our day jobs, co-hosting Xscapers, had non-stop visitors, and we were already downright tired on arrival. I just know myself, too many commitments leads to stress and anxiety, and we were already beyond my comfort zone.
However we had blog readers Christel & Fred reach out in advance of the event asking us to crew for their balloon, Thursday’s Child. They were super open to us popping in when we could.
They were able to assemble a permanent volunteer crew for the week (with thanks to the Escapee’s Boomers) – and our additional bodies seemed appreciated to help speed things along when we could swing it.
And we just gotta say, we are so thankful for the opportunity – as crewing was probably one of the most amazing parts of our fiesta experience. Being on a team, learning some of the ins & outs and helping out was so much more immersive than just spectating.
We helped launched a fricken hot air balloon!!
It required getting up crazy early to meet Fred and team on the field, unpacking & assembling all of the pieces, waiting until a Zebra gave us the go-ahead, cold inflating the balloon and then launching.
As soon as pilot and ballast had left the field, the rest of the team got in the chase truck and played the game of ‘find the balloon’ navigating around traffic-jammed Albuquerque.
It was kinda like storm chasing in the movie Twister, with just a few less flying cows and some flying chickens, pigs, whales and cats added in.
If you’re considering crewing (which we highly recommend) keep in mind that each pilot is entirely unique. Some do every single event – day and night. Some only do morning ascensions. Some fly regular ‘easy’ balloons, and some have super complex special shapes balloons. Some just lift off and find the first spot to land. And some like to fly as far as they can, leaving their chase crew having to travel further to retrieve them.
Ours was more into the competition events than the touristy show stuff… so our team had no glows (he wasn’t even equipped for it), and he canceled participating in 3 mass ascensions. We appreciated the bonus guilt free time to just explore, or sit back and enjoy balloons floating over our home. But it also meant we crewed less than we would have liked.
Also, each day’s obligation are completely unpredictable.
On our first crew day – it was easy. We launched in the first wave, the winds took the balloon east a couple blocks and our pilot landed. When we got there, we did a pax-swap (balloon lingo for switching out passengers) and I was completely caught off guard when they told me that meant ME!!! getting in the ballon. We flew a few more blocks, and then it was a relatively easy retrieval. Home by 9am.
On a day we didn’t participate in – the chase crew didn’t get home until 3pm due to landing in a field in nearby tribal lands and encountering difficulty getting clearance to bring the truck to the balloon.
In this case, had we crewed we would have missed our own 2pm speaking engagement, which would have not been cool.
If you have obligations during the day – like work, parenting, pets – carefully consider how realistic it is for you to commit to a team.
We had several of our Xscapers volunteer crew – and every one of them had a fabulous time. And, almost every one of us ended up positively exhausted by mid week and needing to step back from our teams.
Crewing every day is just too much for us working stiffs. It might have been better balanced had several of us committed to the same team, but on a rotating schedule to make sure the pilot was covered and we all had non-crew days. (If you attend with the Xscapers in 2016, I believe they are working with our pilot, Fred & Christel, to do just this.)
If you have the week open – working on a team is a very rewarding experience. And, it has high odds of earning you a free flight or two (Both Chris and I had beyond amazing flights – thank you Fred!!) and invites to special pilot events.
For first timers we’d recommend a variety pack if you can manage it – experience the fiesta as a spectator, get lots of pictures, crew a bit, wander and try enjoying it ‘at home’ in your RV too.
This year, the variety of experiences we had is what made the this entire event so magical for us. If we returned, we’d probably go all in with crewing being our only obligation.
For information on crewing;
And Magical It Was
I was a little concerned coming in for a second time.
Would it be as magical as the first time when we were completely caught by surprise? Would it live up to all of the anticipation we had coming in after kicking Master Tech into high gear to get Zephyr back on the road in time?
I can say with absolutely certainty – HECK YES!!
I still had tears in my eyes at every mass ascension. I never got tired of being woken up in the morning to the sound of balloons flying over.
And I didn’t even know I had a bucket list, but holy crap – I checked ‘Fly in a Hot Air Balloon’ right off it!!
We’re often asked what our favorite places & experiences have been as RVers. We’re usually hard pressed to come up with an answer – life on the road is a constant barrage of amazing experiences.
But you know what? The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is on a very short list of ‘Must Do’ events that I think every RVer should experience.
What Does it Cost?
So just what did this priceless magical floating frog experience cost?
Surprisingly, not much.
- Standard RV Parking w/ Xscapers: $225 (9 nights * $25/each)
- 1 Early Night & 1 Post Night: $30
- Water Delivery: $25
- Balloon Fiesta Tickets: $12.50*
Our Total Cost for 11 Magical Awesome Unforgettable Nights: $267.50
Unbelievable.
* Fiesta Tickets are actually $8/session (morning or night). Or 5 for $35. Our group bought e-Tickets at Costco at 4 for $25. However, we only redeemed one each to get in the first day – when we decided to sign up to crew and got our free passes. We ended up gifting the remaining tickets.
Pictures and words really just don’t do this event justice. They only touch the crown of the balloon. We took some video clips as well, which take it a tad further that you might enjoy watching too:
But really.. you just have to experience it.
Other Perspectives from our fellow Xscapers:
Pat and I saw the Balloon Festival in 1989 as part of a package tour on Amtrak organized by a square dance group. I had seen balloon ascensions on a smaller scale back in the 1970s, when the “Balloonatics” would take off from an open space in the Orange Empire Ry. Museum property. Since they would usually start off at sunrise Sunday morning, sometimes members who were staying for the weekend and who had worked late on a project (or stayed up for a “bull session”) we not amused by the roar of the burners that early in the AM. As the Museum grew, it finally got to the point where there were too many overhead wires for a safe launching area, and they moved to a spot near the local airport, which specializes in taking skydivers aloft for their idea of fun in the sky.
Simply amazing! I had plans to go this year but had to cancel. I cannot wait until my time comes :-)!!
Oh, my gosh…the pictures and video in particular made me gasp…this is definitely on our list for when we’re on the road in the next couple of years!!
Just read Nina’s post and then I roll over to Technomadia! Wow 2 fantastic reviews!
I have heard of this event and always wanted to go. But I never even dreamed that crewing was a possibility. This is now a major bucket list item. Thank you
After reading your blog as well as the posts by Winnie’s Views and Wheelin’ It, I definitely am putting this Fiesta on my bucket list. Thanks for the thorough post!
I so enjoy all the excitement you manage to convey in your post. It is so uplifting!! Seems like this was another unforgettable experience .. of which you seem to have many. Thanks for the detailed posts.
It was a pleasure to have you join Thursday’s Child chase crew at Fiesta this year. I managed to fly all the chase crew that were willing to fly, and the Boomers rally folks certainly added to the enthusiasm. If you see a balloon flying anywhere, chase it and tell them you’ve chased and flown at Albuquerque – you’ll win points! Best regards, Fred and Christel Dinkler, Canyon Lake, TX
Thanks again so much guys for adding to the magic of the event of us by inviting us to be involved! So much fun!
What a great wrap-up! We have un-crossed this off our bucket list, and are more determined than ever to get there at some point. Thanks for all the details. We’re bookmarking this for great reference material when the time comes.
You’ll get there.. .and maybe can enjoy it together. That would be awesome. Big hugs to you both!
Hi, Cherie and Chris –
Congratulations on a successful event! I hope to be there some day.
I wondered if you could give a quick opinion on your thoughts regarding 17′ Casita vs. Winnie View or similar? I am thinking of being a full-timer in an RV and am no spring chicken ( grandma ) and am kind of stressed by all the things to remember while living in an RV – so you don’t hurt the battery, put yourself in a bind, etc. Thanks. Pamela
Oh gosh.. the Casita and Winnie View are two completely different setups, and both great options. Really just depends if you want a trailer or motorhome setup. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Would recommend reading blogs of other solo female RVers who using those sorts of setups. In the Casita camp, look up Becky of Intersellar Orchard and RV Sue. In the Winnie View camp, look up Lynne of Winnie Views (linked above in this article)
Thank you, Cherie – I do follow rvsue and also Becky at IO and Lynne at Winnie Views. I am overthinking this, I think. My anxiety kicks in and I wonder if I can do either. Then, I read some of these wonderful blogs and I think I can I think I can… I am getting closer to making a decision.
Cute turquoise to on you at the Balloon Fiesta. Thanks for all you do. Enjoy your videos also.
What a great and accurate report on this amazing fun experience….this was our third time …2 crewing and one not…even thought they are were different..the newness existed in all three….and as senior, I can tell you each time I was like a kid in a candy store.s..great to meet up with you and get to know you both better…I am awed by you both and Wheelingit for all you do for the Rv community in your blogs, your fb pages and books…Thank you…
It was super fun being kids together… until we meet again!
Did you have any issues with data speed with Verizon or ATT during the week at the Balloon Fiesta? Looking to attend next year but good connectivity will be required! 🙂
Thanks,
Tony
Yes.. for sure. Especially during the morning and evening events when the population greatly expanded. During the day and post-Glow evenings, it was pretty usable. We actually did a lot of speed testing on all 4-carriers during the chaos and have an article for RvMobileInternet.com in the works.
As usual you’ve done a complete and thorough post about the event. GREAT reference material for anyone who’s thought about attending. Love it!
Nina
One can definitely say the same for your series too, my dear. Hmm, we may have thwarted any future chance of either of us ever scoring a spot again however.. what with how many folks are now inspired to go. 🙂
Sounds, and looks, like you two had an amazing time!! Your face still looks like that 2011 running under the balloons :-))) The cost really is reasonable for such an incredible experience and I’m sure this even will be in our future plans. Thanks for all the great info, and fabulous pics.
Yeah… i may have been a bit of a kid last week 😉 It’s hard not to be.. after all, BAHLOOOOOOONS!! 😉
Thanks for sharing your wonderful balloon fiesta experience, Cherie! All of these write-ups are going to be so beneficial to those of us who wish to attend in the future. (and for the record, I knew there was a reason I’ve always liked you–the words ‘patootie’ and BAH-Loooooooon’ have come from my mouth many times!)
As I stated in my reply to Nina’s post, I kept wondering how we’d be able to enjoy the whole experience as spectators, and not be working hard the entire time, if we volunteered to crew. Both of you recommending to enjoy for a few days before deciding if you want to crew was great advice.
I’d also worry about Pipa being left alone for too much time without us, and with pups not allowed on the grounds, we’d have to work out those logistics, especially if there were to be an unplanned landing on Indian land.
If we can finally get past this seemingly never-ending, crazy 2015 of cottage renovation and house-selling (I’m convinced we are the Technomadia version of cabin-rennovations for 2015!), we really hope to make it to the Fiesta next Oct.
Hope you guys get sprung free of the renovations projects and get the house sold! Miss seeing you guys out on the road at various cross points. And bummed our own renovation projects kept us from dipping up your way for a visit before needing to get SW.
An old friend told me years ago to get up to Albuquerque and see the Balloon Festival. I have not done this (yet) but think I’m going to have to. One of my passions is photography, so I think it’s a must-do for me.
Thanks for the reminder and the write-up. 🙂
The Balloon Fiesta is rumored to be the most photographed event in the world – definitely a photographer’s playground too. (But, in all honesty, it’s really hard to take a bad photo of a balloon 😉 ).
We have attended the Alb Balloon Fiesta a number of times over the years and have loved every minute of it. The 2000 Fiesta had almost 1100 balloon and was the largest one we attended. The next year we went back again after 9/11 and it was much smaller due to foreign balloons not being able to get all their equipment shipped in time.
Soon thereafter they started to reduce the number of balloons due to the fields where they used to land being occupied by houses. We did see a number of balloons land in yards and one year a balloon landed in the Costco parking lot. I walked up to them as asked to see their Costco card and they got a big laugh out of that.
We stay a week or so and visit Sandia Mt via the back road, check out the local wineries, casino and all the surrounding area. We love it out there and never run out of things to see and do. Great restaurants also.
Definitely a “bucket list” item at the top of the list.
Nice to see all the balloons and people having a great time. We would be with the Escapees group if we were there this year. Alas, we didn’t make it.
It’s so cool to drive around town and see balloons landing anywhere they can. It did definitely seem that the landing options around the area are limited – with the pilots briefed on unfriendly places to avoid landing. Our pilot also told us that they cap the event at 550 balloons now, as trying to launch more than that in a morning was becoming a safety concern.
I really enjoyed your post and seeing the video! This year’s Fiesta was, in my opinion, the BEST EVER — and we’ve been attending for over 30 years!
Wow! That’s quite a perspective to have on the event… we thought it felt extra magical, so happy to hear it was 🙂
Hi, Cherie and Chris – I really enjoy your blog posts and this last video of the Balloon Fiesta was amazing. What a special time for you all. I hope to be there some year soon. Thanks for the awesome photos and super complete information. Happy Travels…Kiki, too.
So glad the post was inspiring and helpful… it’s such a magical event, and so difficult to convey. Hope you get there!