This famous balloon festival attracts masses of people to Albuquerque every year during the first half of October. It is the largest of its kind in the world and there are a few ways to see it.
General Admission
Tickets are available for either the morning or the evening during the duration of the festival. You do not have to choose your actual attendance date. As of 2023, general admission tickets cost $15 per person. Parking is $20 per car. There are also shuttle and park and ride options. However, a local suggested riding bikes. This is absolutely the way to go if it’s your thing. It appeared to be the fastest way to get there. I drove, leaving my hotel at 5:30am. I was 3.5 miles from Balloon Fiesta Park and took almost an hour to get there. I arrived just in time for the first balloons to lift off. There are a plethora of stalls to purchase breakfast and then you literally wander among the balloons watching the trucks drive in, lay out the balloons, test the engines, set it all up and take off.
Clubs
If you prefer to avoid crowds or don’t want to walk around, you can have a more VIP experience and get tickets to the Chaser or Gondola Clubs. I opted for the Gondola Club during the evening session for $130pp, which included dinner, three drinks, a couple of “gifts” and free parking near the Club. The Gondola Club is located at one end of the park, near the corporate sponsor tents. The Chaser club was $65 but didn’t include drinks or parking. It was also located at the opposite end of the park, which might have been a nice perspective since it was near the entertainment area. I found the Gondola Club to be nice, but more crowded than I had hoped. Please note: These clubs sell out quickly. The day I attended was sold out within the first hour of being available.
Morning Session
One of the biggest draws to the morning session is the Mass Ascension. The process starts small with the first balloons lifting off to test the air and winds. More and more balloons inflate and fill the skies. They are all different colors and shapes. Pictures do not do the spectacle justice: 600 balloons up in the sky.
Evening Session
I was lucky to attend on the evening of the 66th Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett 2023. The Albuquerque Balloon Festival does not usually have the honor of hosting it. The balloons take hours to fill and their goal is to race as far away as possible. The 2023 race ended in North Carolina after about four days.
As the sun sets, the festival hosts sparkles and glows, followed by a spectacular drone show (they do the same show in the morning before the first balloons lift off) and then the night ends with fireworks.
Final Thoughts
Another great view of the festival is probably from anywhere in Northern Albuquerque. My favorite experience was being down amongst the balloons, but the view from parking lots and even the highway was spectacular. You will be awestruck, no matter which view you choose. Or maybe try them all!
