Balloon Fiesta
Ground Work
The preparation for the event starts very early each day. It takes a couple hours to prepare for a launch, so it is well before dawn as the participants start laying out their balloons. The first Dawn Patrol balloons go up to test the winds before the sun breaches the Sandia Mountains to the east. As more balloons begin their first 'glow', you can feel the excitement building.
Details
The Albuquerque Internaltional Balloon Fiesta is held in October at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is the largest balloon fiesta in the world, drawing more than 500 participants and up to 100,000 attendees each day.