Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
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The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly gathering of hot air balloon enthusiasts from around the world, occurring in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, during the first two weeks of October. The event, the largest of its kind in the world, lasts ten days and includes a fleet of nearly 750 hot air balloons with pilots from throughout the United States and the world.
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[edit] History
The balloon fiesta began as a small gathering of 13 balloons in April of 1972, organized by Cutter Flying Service owner Sid Cutter. The event was located in a shopping center parking lot with 20,000 spectators and with balloonists from Arizona, California, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and Texas taking part. The first fiesta was actually a "Roadrunner-Coyote Balloon Race", with 1 balloon being the "Roadrunner" and the others being “Coyote” balloons. The winner of the race was the Coyote who landed closest to the Roadrunner. This race has continued as part of the Balloon Fiesta today.
The next year Albuquerque hosted the first World Hot-Air Balloon Championships in February and the fiesta became an international event. In 1975 Albuquerque was looking at hosting the World Championships again, but the event was scheduled for October. So the fiesta was moved to correspond with the championships. To maintain interest in Albuquerque’s bid to host the championships, a balloon rally was held in February of that year.
The Balloon Fiesta has grown each year, and today is the largest balloon convention in the world. The number of registered balloons reached a peak of 1,019 in 2000, prompting the Balloon Fiesta Board to limit the number to 750 starting in 2001[1], citing a desire for "quality over quantity". On any given day during the festival, 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. Countless more people gather at landing sites all over the city to watch incoming balloons.
[edit] Events
[edit] Dawn Patrol
The Dawn Patrol began at Balloon Fiesta in 1978, when two California balloonists developed position lighting systems that allowed them to fly at night. Dawn Patrol pilots take off before sunrise and fly until it is light enough to see landing sites. Fellow balloonists appreciate the Dawn Patrol because they can watch the balloons and get an early idea of wind speeds and directions at different altitudes.
[edit] Mass Ascensions
One of the biggest events of the fiesta, where all participating balloons launch in two waves, filling the sky with hundreds of balloons at once. Launch directors, also known as “zebras” because of their black-and-white-striped outfits, serve as “traffic cops,” coordinating the launch so balloons leave the field in a safe and coordinated manner.
[edit] Artistic Vision
Many local artists take advantage of the balloons as favorite subject manner for their paintings[Image:painting][1]. Often balloons land in Albuquerque neighborhoods [Image:neighborhoods] [2]. Many residents watch the balloons from the comfort of their backyards.
[edit] Special Shape Rodeo
Many non-traditional, uniquely shaped balloons are launched at the same time. Some of the most famous shapes include a milk cow, a wagon coach, twin bees, and many others like soda cans and animals. This is the most popular part of the event as families can see how balloons can be all different shapes and sizes.
[edit] Night Glows
Large numbers of balloons are illuminated at night by their propane burners. The "Glowdeo" is a night glow for the special shapes balloons.
[edit] Special Events and Competitions
Various events like:
- The Fiesta Challenge, a game where ballonists attempt to drop a marker closest to a target.
- America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race, where special long-distance gas balloons are inflated and then launched. The winner of the race is the balloon that travels the farthest. Some balloons in the race has gone as far as Canada and the U.S. East Coast.
- The Flight of the Nations Mass Ascension, where ballonists from each nation launch, one at a time, to their national anthem and waving their nation's flag.
- Other piloting, skill, and speed competitions.
[edit] Local impact
The convention has also become a major showcase of New Mexican culture and history and features numerous cultural exhibitions. It is a major event for the city of Albuquerque, 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. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the most photographed event in the world.
[edit] Albuquerque box
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.
[edit] Location
Balloon Fiesta Park from which the balloons are launched is located on the northern edge of the city. In 2005, the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum was opened on the grounds, it recounts the last three decades of the convention as well as a general history of ballooning.
[edit] External links
- Two videos of balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, including one of a night flight
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta official site
- Video Tour of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
- Photos of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with some special shaped balloons
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta photos - 2005-2006
