SOON WE WILL BE OFF TO THE BALLOON FIESTA:
52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta:
"May the winds welcome you with softness.
May the sun bless you with its warm hands.
May you fly so high and so well that God
joins you in laughter
And sets you gently back into the loving arms
of Mother Earth."
Here we are on the eve of the 52nd Fiesta and my excitement is starting to max out. I can share there will be two different drone shows. There will be several new special shapes at Fiesta and 550 balloon are registered thus far.
I am so looking forward to attending and being part of this amazing event. To be very honest, it is really hard to describe seeing the Dawn Patrol, the Mass Ascensions, the Glows, the Special Shapes, Team Fasttrax, the Kites, the drone shows, the Fireworks, the Main Street Entertainment, and the famous breakfast burritos. Oh, the competition events are really KEWL!
Yes, for me it is a work event, working with some great photographers, yet still exciting and thrilling. I am humbled to be part of this team and part of AIBF. To see the crews prepping the balloons, the Zebras launching the balloons, and the wonderment of the visiting guests.
My days will start at 0400 and the long days will end at 2200. Down time is spent sorting and editing and submitting photos. I LOVE IT!
My thoughts/tips on attending are many but here are some of the top tips.
TOP OF ALL TIPS IS THIS: go to the AIBF web site at https://balloonfiesta.com/. There is so much info there to make your Fiesta experience the best.
1. Plan Early - that means starting directly after Fiesta ends start planning for the next year. RV site reservation start in January and sell out rather quickly.
2. I feel an RV is the best way to experience Fiesta. a. You don’t have to drive to the launch field. b. You have a place to chill between sessions. c. You don’t have to drive to the launch field. d. If the weather is not cooperating you can roll over and go back to sleep.
3. Since the launches are weather dependent plan on staying as many days as you can. So you don’t miss anything.
4. Volunteer to crew for a balloon. There is a sign up location on the field where volunteers are accepted. You will learn a lot about balloons and have a lot and I mean a lot of fun.
5. Stay hydrated, dress in layers, sunscreen etc etc remember you are at altitude.
6. Yes you can rent a RV that will be brought to the site for you. Also, some folks will experience Fiesta with a RV group, there are a few which have group tours to Fiesta.
These are just a few of the tips I have.
So if you are gonna be there this year let’s try and meet up. If you are thinking about next year, and have questions feel free to ask away.
