BLUE FIESTA STARTED 1972. AND CORONADO MALL’S LOT WITH 13 BALLOONS. WE’RE CELEBRATING NEW MEXICO AND THE STATE’S BIGGEST GATHERING. IT’S AWESOME. MY HUSBAND’S BUCKET LIST, HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FILLING A BALLOON FIESTA FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK. I THINK THIS IS THE SUPER BOWL OF HOT AIR BALLOONS. EXPERIENCING THE SOUNDS AND COLORS AND EXCITEMENT OF THE WORLD’S PREMIER EVENT. ALL THE DIFFERENT SHAPES GIRLS REALLY LOVE THE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS. CREATING MAGICAL FEELING, UNIQUE TO THE MAIN EVENTS IN THE BALLOON FIESTA. A PART OF OUR DNA. FOR THE NEXT, WE’RE TAKING YOU ON A RIDE LOOKING INTO THE HISTORY OF BALLOON FIESTA IN OF THE SPECIAL SURPRISES IN STORE FOR THE MONUMENTAL 50TH FIESTA. A MILESTONE NOT FOR FIESTA, BUT FOR OUR ENTIRE TO CELEBRATE. MONTHS OF WORK GO INTO MAKING SURE A BALLOON FIESTA IS OPENING DAY GOES OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. A BALLOON FIESTA PARK TENTS ARE SET UP FOR VENDORS. THE GROUNDS ARE BEING PREPPED FOR CROWDS. AND BALLOON PILOTS RECEIVE LAST MINUTE TRAINING TIPS. 50 YEARS FOR FIESTA. QUITE A MILESTONE AS THE EXCITEMENT BUILDS FOR HUNDREDS OF OF PEOPLE TO FILL BALLOON FIESTA ONCE MORE. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT CELEBRATING HISTORICAL AND HISTORICAL LANDMARKS THAT PEOPLE FEEL CEEBRATORY AND WANT TO BE A PART OF IT. AND WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT FROM EARLY MORNINGS, WITH BREAKFAST BURRITOS TO MASS ASCENSION, WITH BALLOONS TAKING TO THE SKIES ABOVE DUKE SITTING IN AMAZING VIEW OF BALLOON FIESTA IS ALL ABOUT FROM SKY SEVEN HUNDREDS OF BALLOONS UP ABOVE. AND OF COURSE, PLENTY OF SHAPES TO LOOK OUT FOR WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE’RE ORIGINALLY FROM THE PHILIPPINES, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, FROM THE U.K., FROM COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, FROM FROM PUERTO FLORIDA, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. A LOT OF MILES TRAVELED BY MANY ALBUQUERQUE FOR THE BALLOON. VESTA ABOUT 20 HOURS TO GET HERE IN TOTAL, JUST MOVING AROUND THE UK AND THEN FLYING AND THEN MOVING HERE THE FIRST TIME INSPIRES MANY TO HURRY BACK TO ALBUQUERQUE. IT’S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE EVERY SINGLE BALLOON, TO SEE THE INCREDIBLE SIGHT THAT IS BALLOON FIESTA. ONE MORE TIME AND BALLOON IT’S NOT JUST A MORNING THING. NO, ISN’T. IF YOU PLAN IT RIGHT, YOU CAN ENJOY ALL THINGS. BALLOON FIESTA FROM SUNRISE TO. TAKE A LOOK BEFORE THE SUN RISES. IT’S BUSY AS EVERYONE ARRIVES FOR THE SHOW. PARKING IS USUALLY A SLOW GOING PROCESS. SOME WALK IN. OTHERS RIDE THEIR BIKES. AND ONCE THEY GET THROUGH THE GATES, PEOPLE GRAB HOT COFFEE, BREAKFAST BURRITOS AND, DONUTS. THEN DON PATROL HEADS UP FIRST TO MAKE SURE THE CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. THESE ARE THE MOST EXPERIENCED PILOTS. THEIR EXPERTISE IS VITAL. BECAUSE THEY WILL DECIDE IF IT’S SAFE FOR HUNDREDS OF PILOTS TO LAUNCH. IF IT’S A GO, THE PILOTS PULL THEIR BASKETS FROM THEIR TRUCK, LAY OUT THEIR BALLOON OR ENVELOPE AND START UP THOSE BURNERS. THE SOUND FILLS THE FIELD. BUILDING EXCITEMENT FOR ONLOOKERS. THEY KNOW A MASS ASCENSION IS GOING TO HAPPEN AS THE SUN STARTS TO ARRIVE. HUNDREDS OF PILOTS FILL, THE NEW MEXICO SKY. OR TAKE A QUICK DIP CALLED A SPLASH AND DASH IN THE RIO GRANDE. THEY ONLY STAY AIRBORNE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, BUT THE SIGHT IS SPECTACLE AS THEY GENTLY DRIFT BACK TO THE GROUND. CHASE CREWS HELP CONTROL THEIR LANDING. BUT THE FUN FOR SPECTATORS ISN’T OVER. GREAT FOOD IN TOWN AND EVEN SOME SHOPPING AWAITS THEM. THEN MAYBE AFTER A NAP THEY’LL HEAD TO BALLOON FIESTA PARK FOR FOR THE GLOW. THIS TIME, THE PILOTS WON’T LAUNCH INTO THE AIR, BUT THEY’LL INFLATE ONCE THE SUN SETS. AND THE GLOW IS GORGEOUS. HERE’S AN AERIAL LOOK AT THE EVENT. THE BURNERS GOING ON AND OFF. AS EVERYONE MARVELS AT THE SIGHT FOR BALLOON FIESTA SUPERFANS, THEY’LL EVENTUALLY GO HOME ONLY DO IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. A COUPLE FUN FACTS ABOUT BALLOONS. NOT ONLY IS THE NINE DAY PARTY THE LARGEST BALLOONING EVENT ON THE PLANET, IT’S ALSO THE MOST PHOTO GRAPHED EVENT ON EARTH. EVENT ORGANIZERS SAY AN ESTIMATED 25 MILLION PICTURES ARE TAKEN DURING THE WEEK. WE’LL SHARE SOME OF YOUR BEST PHOTOS OVER BALLOON FIESTAS 50 YEARS THROUGHOUT THIS SPECIAL 50 YEARS OF BALLOON FIESTA DOESN’T COME CLOSE TO COVERING THE HISTORY IN. IN FACT, NEITHER WILL 100 YEARS. YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1882, 140 YEARS AGO, DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE, THIS WAS PARK VAN TASSEL, COAL GAS POWERED BALLOON. YES, COAL TOOK FOREVER TO FILL UP ABOUT TWO DAYS. VAN WAS A LOCAL BAR OWNER HIRED TO FLY VERY HIGH. MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO AT THE TERRITORIAL FAIR, HE HAD A VERY SHORT FLIGHT THE WAY. HE WENT UP TO ABOUT. 9000 FEET AND CAME BACK DOWN. -- BROWNE IS A BALLOON HISTORIAN WHO HELPED WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THE FIRST FLIGHT HERE. THEN TWO OTHER PILOTS LAUNCHED IN 1909 TO TRY AND SET A DISTANCE RECORD. IT WASN’T ENOUGH, BUT IT SURE LIT THE FIRE FOR FUTURE FLIGHTS. NOW HE LIFTED OFF AND, SURGED EAST AND CROSSED THE MANZANO MOUNTAINS AND ONTO THE PLAINS NEAR CLIENTS CORNERS, AND MADE A 90 MILE FLIGHT. AFTER THE 1882 AND 1909 LAUNCHES, BOTH THEM FROM RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE, PRETTY MUCH HAPPENED FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY IN PART BECAUSE OF WORLD WAR ONE, THE GREAT DEPRESSION, WORLD WAR TWO, THE KOREAN CONFLICT AND THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY. DURING THAT TIME, BALLOON TECHNOLOGY, THE ADVANCEMENTS WORK REVOLUTIONIZED BALLOONING WAS HAVING AN HEADER PROPANE HEATER, LIGHTWEIGHT NYLON ENVELOPE THE BAG HAVING PROPANE IN THE BASKETS, WHICH IS WHERE ARE TODAY 140 YEARS LATER, A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLORS SEEN EVERY LIGHTING UP THE ALBUQUERQUE SKY FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. BY THE WAY OF VAN TASSELS BALLOON FROM 1882 COSTUME $850. THAT’S ABOUT $25,000 TODAY. AND DID YOU KNOW THE FIRST BALLOON FIESTA WAS HELD IN A MALL PARKING? IT WAS ORGANIZED IN ABOUT A WEEK AS THE COYOTE ROADRUNNER BALLOON RACE. STEPHANIE MOONEY TELLS US ABOUT THE INAUGURAL EVENT. 50 YEARS AGO, THE PARKING LOT HERE AT CORONADO MALL WAS VERY FIRST LOCATION OF THE BALLOON FIESTA AND IT WAS PLANNED IN JUST TEN DAYS. INITIALLY WERE ONLY 19 BALLOONS REGISTERED, BUT NOT EVERYONE SHOWED UP. SO ONLY BALLOONS PARTICIPATED AS A CROWD OF ABOUT 20,000 WATCHED BECAUSE OF ITS SUCCESS. IT TO THE FAIRGROUNDS THE NEXT TO FEBRUARY’S COMPETITORS FROM 38 COUNTRIES MET FOR THE WORLD’S HOT AIR BALLOON CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THE EVENT GREW TO ABOUT 128 BALLOONS. BUT FIESTA WOULD TO GROW EVEN MORE. COMING UP, I’LL TELL YOU THE CHALLENGES ORGANIZERS FACE AS THEY CONTINUE TO TRY AND FIND A NEW LOCATION FOR THE BALLOON FIESTA COMING UP. HE’S CALLED THE FATHER OF THE FIESTA. HOW SAD. CUTTER’S LEGACY LIVES ON THE MOUNTAINS. IN THE VALLEY OF THE DUKE CITY ACTUALLY HAVE A PRETTY BIG IMPACT ON HOW THE PILOTS FLY. WHY OUR LANDSCAPE MAKES CONDITIONS PERFECT FOR BALLOONING. THE SPECIAL SHAVES OFTEN END UP THE STAR OF THE SHOW WE’RE GIVING YOU A FIRST LOOK AT THE BRAND NEW DESIGN YOU’LL SEE THIS YEAR. WE’RE SHARING YOUR 50 YEARS OF MEMORIES. WELCOME BACK. GETTING READY FOR THE OLYMPICS 50TH CELEBRATION STARTED A YEAR AGO. A SPECIAL ENVELOPE TO HONOR THE MILESTONE WAS BUILT RIGHT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. A TEAM, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, WAS ABLE TO GET IT FINISHED IN ONLY NINE DAYS. LAST YEAR. IT WAS QUITE THE SURPRISE FOR THE WIFE OF SID CUTTER, KNOWN THE FATHER OF HOT AIR BALLOONING IN ALBUQUERQUE AND THE FOUNDER OF THE BALLOON FIESTA. MY HEART POUNDING MY I’M SHAKING. MY KNEES ARE SHAKING. I DIDN’T EXPECT IT. I HAD NO HINT. THE PURE JOY. PURE JOY. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS WHOLE FIESTA IS ABOUT. A LOT OF THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION WENT INTO THE FINAL DESIGN. WE REALLY FEEL LIKE WE WE SETTLED ON THE BEST DESIGN. AND THEN TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION. WOW IT WAS PRETTY SPECTACULAR. AND THEN ALSO TO SEE THE SILHOUETTE OF SID CUTTER IN THE TOP. HOW BIG TIME? THE LITTLE BALLOONS ON THE REPRESENT THE ORIGINAL 13 BALLOONS THAT LIFTED OFF AT THE VERY FIRST FIESTA WAY BACK IN 1972. SID CUTTERS INTRODUCTION TO BALLOONING WAS LITTLE BIT OF AN ACCIDENT. YEAH, WELL, GIVING TETHERED AT AN EVENT TO CELEBRATE HIS MOTHER THE ROPE WAS UNTIED AND HE TOOK TO SKY. YEAH, IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT. ONE YEAR LATER, CREATING WHAT WOULD BECOME THE LARGEST BALLOONING EVENT IN THE WORLD. CUTTER KNEW ITS POTENTIAL, BUT HIS MOTIVATION WAS MUCH MORE SIMPLE TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY. THE FATHER OF BALLOON IS SID CUTTER. HIS AND IMAGE DISPLAYED A BRONZE STATUE AT FIESTA PARK SHOWS CUTTER ON THE EDGE OF A BASKET, HIS DOGS TAGGING ALONG FOR THE FLIGHT. WE SPOKE WITH HIS GRANDSON IN 2015 WHEN THE STATUE WAS REVEALED. WHEN THE MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE APPROACHED US WITH THIS IDEA OF A STATUE, WE WERE JUST AWESTRUCK. I MEAN, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING WAS SO AWESOME THAT WE COULDN’T EVEN EVER THINK OF COULD HAPPEN. CUTTER LAUNCHED IN 1972, 13 BALLOONS LIFTED OFF THE TORNADO CENTER. WE TALKED WITH IN 1981 AND HE KNEW THIS GROWING INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL. THANK YOU. FIND THAT IT’S GOING TO TURN OUT TO BE THE WORLD’S LARGEST AIR SHOW WHERE THE OLD TIME WING WALKERS AND THING WILL GO ON UP THROUGH INTO THE AFTERNOON INSTEAD OF JUST QUITTING RIGHT AFTER THE BALLOONS FINISH IN 2011 AFTER CUTTER’S DEATH. WE MET PEOPLE FROM MINNESOTA WHO WERE AT THAT FIRST FIESTA IN SAW IT GROW THROUGH THE YEARS. IT WAS GREAT FUN. IT WAS A GREAT OF PEOPLE. WE JUST WE ALL HAD JUST SO MUCH WITH EACH OTHER OUT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE IT WAS SO WONDERFUL. AND HOSTING THE ALBUQUERQUE IDEAS TURNED INTO WHAT SHOULD CUT A RUSTIC BEACH. WHAT CUTTER DID WAS PHENOMENAL AND HE MADE THE SPORT. CUTTER WAS DESCRIBED AS A GRACIOUS MAN, LOVED BALLOONING AND THE TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY THAT PILOTS THE FLOATING AIRCRAFT. HE LEARNED HOW TO FLY SITTING HIS DADDY’S LAP. CUTTER’S WIFE, JEWEL, DESCRIBING HER LATE HUSBAND’S LIFE AND HOW HE TURNED ALBUQUERQUE INTO THE HOT AIR BALLOON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. HE WAS SORT OF A PACE SETTER. IT’S GROWN INTO THIS INCREDIBLE, MAGICAL, MASSIVE VACATION. NOT EASY TO GET HERE. ONE TIME I SAID SAID THIS KIND OF HARD WORK. AND HE SAID, BUT LOOK HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE MAKING HAPPY. THAT’S FIESTA MEANT TO HIM. WAS THE HAPPINESS IT BROUGHT LIFE. AND TO AND TO THE CITY. WHAT A LEGACY. THANK YOU, SID CUTTER. IN 1983, SID CUTTER WAS INDUCTED INTO BALLOON FIESTA HALL OF FAME AND SINCE BEEN INDUCTED TO OTHERS. THAT’S RIGHT. HE ALSO HOLDS SEVERAL BALLOONING TITLES. AND CHECK THIS OUT. IN 2000 TO THE OLYMPIC TORCH MADE ITS WAY TO ALBUQUERQUE. CUTTER HAD THE HONOR OF CARRYING IT FROM THE WORLD BALLOON AS PART OF THE TORCH RELAY AS IT TRAVELED TO SALT LAKE CITY. EARLIER, WE TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DAWN PATROL AND THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE CHECKING CONDITIONS, MAKING SURE IT’S SAFE TO FLY. NOW TIME TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO ITS HISTORY. DAWN PATROL HAS BEEN GRACING THE SKIES ABOVE 1978 TO CALIFORNIA. BALLOONISTS CREATED LIGHTING SYSTEMS, ALLOWING THEM TO FLY AT NIGHT. THE NAME GIVING TO WHEN LAUNCH HAPPENS. JUST BEFORE DAWN IN THE SKIES. THOSE PILOTS ARE GAUGING AIR DENSITY AND THE WIND. THEN THEY RADIO DOWN TO THE OTHER BALLOON IS ON THE GROUND TO THEM, AN IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE TAKEOFF. AS WE PAINT THE SKY COLOR LIKE PAPER LANTERNS, UH, FLOATING IN THE NIGHT SKY, IT’S JUST LIKE A THREE DIMENSIONAL GLOW. IT IS AMAZING TO WATCH PEOPLE’S FACES LITERALLY LIGHT UP. ONE REASON THAT PILOT SAYS HE LOVES BALLOON FIESTA. IT IS A COLLECTION IN ALBUQUERQUE DURING FIESTA OF EVERYBODY THAT’S GOT A COMMON GOAL TO HAVE SAFE FLYING FUN FLYING. IF YOU WANT TO SEE DAWN PATROL LIGHT UP THE NIGHT SKY GET THERE VERY. THEIR LAUNCH USUALLY BEGINS AROUND SIX EACH MORNING. BALLOON FIESTA IS NOT ONLY A CHANCE TO SHOW OFF BEAUTY OF OUR CITY, BUT THE LANDSCAPE A ROLE IN THE WAY THESE BALLOONS. YEAH, THE MOUNTAINS AND THE VALLEYS. A SPECIAL EFFECT ON OUR WIND. METEOROLOGIST BYRON MORTON EXPLAINS THE ALBUQUERQUE BOX. THE ALBUQUERQUE BOX IS A UNIQUE PHENOMENON THAT CAN BE CREDITED TO THE SPECIFIC TOPOGRAPHY OF THE ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY. THAT’S BECAUSE THE ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY IS SLOPED WITH THE NORTH, THE VALLEY AT ABOUT 100 FEET HIGHER THAN THE SOUTH END OF THE VALLEY. SO ON CALM, CLEAR NIGHTS, THE GROUND COOLS THE AIR NEAR THE GROUND. THAT COOL AIR TENDS TO FLOW SOUTHWARD DOWN SLOPE, CREATING WHAT WE CALL A NORTHERLY DRAIN AS WIND AS A BALLOONIST LIFTS OFF FROM BALLOON FIESTA PARK. IT CATCHES NORTHERLY DRAINAGE WIND AND FLOWS IN A SOUTHWARD DIRECTION AS THE BALLOON IS FIRES UP THEIR BURNER AND LIFTS HIGHER UP IN ALTITUDE DUE TO CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS. IT CAN CATCH A STEADILY WIND PUSHING THE BALLOON BACK TO THE NORTH AND THEN ONCE THE BALLOON IS CAN LET OFF BURNER AND SOMETIMES SETTLE THE EXACT LOCATION. THE BALLOON LIFTED OFF FROM CREATING A VIRTUAL BOX IN THE SKY. THAT’S THE BOX AND PERFECT BOX CONDITIONS WILL ADD TO THE NEW EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR AT FIESTA. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BRAND NEW BOXES. THEY ARE SHIPPING CONTAINERS TRANSFORMED AND SPRINKLED WITH A LITTLE LUXURY. THEY EVEN HAVE AN UPPER DECK TO GET ONE OF THE BEST VIEWS OF BALLOON FIESTA PARK. AND IF YOU’RE WONDERING ABOUT THE PRICE $5,000, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE FIESTA SAYS IT’S CERTAINLY GEARED TOWARD UNIQUE CROWD. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A VIP TURNKEY EXPERIENCE. THEY DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO ABOUT FINDING CATERERS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE CATERERS SELECTED. THERE ARE ONLY TWO BOXES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE FIELD. THEY HOLD UP TO 20 PEOPLE AND COME EQUIPPED WITH PRIVATE BATHROOMS, A BAR AND BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED. PLUS CAN GET OUT AND ONTO THE GROUND IN A PRIVATE ROPED OFF AREA FOR AN UP CLOSE VIEW OF THE BALLOONS. ORGANIZERS HAVE WORKED BE INNOVATIVE SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF BALLOON FIESTA. STEPHANIE KENNEDY SHOWS US AS THE POPULARITY THE EVENT GREW, THEY NEEDED A NEW LAUNCH SITE, CAUSED THE EVENT TO MOVE. HEY, GUYS. BY 1975, THE BALLOON FIESTA GOT SO BIG, IT HAD TO BE MOVED HERE. HERE. THIS IS BALLOON PARK ROAD NEAR CENTURY 24. MOVIE THEATER. AND AT THE TIME, THIS PLACE CALLED SIMS FILLED DURING THE TIME THAT THE BALLOON FIESTA WAS HERE. IT WAS TO MORE THAN 370 HOT AIR BALLOONS. IT WAS NAMED SIMS FIELD AFTER THE FAMILY THAT OWNED THE LAND. ANOTHER BIG CHANGE EVENT WAS MOVED FROM FEBRUARY TO OCTOBER. THIS WAS AFTER A METEOROLOGY STUDY FOUND THAT THE WEATHER IN OCTOBER WAS MORE BALLOON FRIENDLY. IN 1979, KOAT BROADCAST LIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE BRINGING. THE BALLOON FIESTA TO THOUSANDS OF NEW MEXICANS FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME. SINCE THEN, REPORTERS THAT HAVE PASSED THROUGH KOAT HAVE BEEN TELLING THE STORIES OF PEOPLE COMING TO ENJOY THE ANNUAL EVENT. I USED TO CUT CLASS FROM ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS WATCHING THE BALLOONS FLY AND THT GOT ME ADDICTED. THE FIESTA WAS HELD HERE UNTIL 1980, BUT AS MORE EVENTS WERE ADDED, SO WAS THE NEED FOR MORE SPACE. I’LL TELL YOU MORE COMING UP. I JUST DO IT BECAUSE. I ENJOY IT. AND THEY ENJOY IT EVEN MORE. BUT PIN COLLECTING IS BUSINESS AT THE OLYMPICS. ONE LOCAL COLLECTOR SHOWS OFF HIS STASH. COMING UP, SOME FAMILIAR CHARACTERS FROM THE PAST HELPING HONOR FIESTAS YEAR. HEAR FROM THE ARTISTS AND WHAT INSPIRED HIM TO DO IT. AND A BLAST FROM THE PAST. WE’RE TAKING YOU BACK TO 1981 EXPLAINING WHY THOSE CHARACTERS ARE SO CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE VIETNAM. AND WE ARE CELEBRATING YOUR MEMORIES AS WE CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF FIESTA. FIESTA IT’S IT’S THE BIG DADDY OF THEM ALL. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST HITS, A PREMIERE OF A HOT AIR EVENT IN THE WORLD. THERE’S NOTHING LIKE BEING IN AIR WITH 500 OTHER BALLOONS. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BALLOON FIESTA AND NOTHING LIKE THOSE SOUVENIRS. THAT’S RIGHT. LET’S TAKE A STROLL DOWN VENDOR ROW CAN GET SO MANY THINGS THERE. CLOTHING, TOYS, CUPS AND BOOKS. THE VENDORS SAY THEY SEE THE SAME FACES EACH. WE HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT COME YEARLY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM EVERY YEAR. IT’S LIKE HAVING A LITTLE REUNION EVERY TIME YOU COME OUT TO FIESTA. I LOVE IT. ONE OF THE HOTTEST ITEMS ON VENDOR ROW BALLOON PINS WITH SPECIAL TO THE OFFICIAL EVENT PIN. THIS FLAIR OFTEN SELLS OUT BEFORE THE END OF FIESTA. THERE ARE EVEN TRADING EVENTS FILLED WITH PEOPLE HOPING BUILD THEIR COLLECTION. BREANA ALBIZU ZOO SPOKE WITH ONE COLLECTOR WHO SAYS THE NOSTALGIA HAS KEPT HIM PRETTY BUSY. PINK LIGHTING IS A BIG DEAL AT BALLOON FIESTA, AND THIS YEAR NO DIFFERENT. SOME OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY PINS ALREADY SOLD OUT HERE AT THE GIFT SHOP. NOW, WE SPOKE ONE MAN ABOUT HIS PASSION. NOW HE’S ALREADY FUTURE GENERATIONS A COLLECTION UNLIKE ANY OTHER STARTING WITH A LOVE FOR HOT AIR BALLOONS. IT HELPS ME CONNECT TO THE BALLOONS. THAT’S AT LEAST THE CASE FOR FREDDY MARTINEZ, WHO GREW UP WATCHING THEM FLY HIGH IN THE NEW MEXICO SKY. HE EVEN BECAME AN CREW MEMBER WITH HIS DAD WHEN HE WAS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD. WE HELPED IN LA AND I REMEMBER BEING DRUG A LITTLE WAYS BECAUSE THERE’S WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A BREEZE THAT DAY. THEY DID NEED THE HELP. THAT LED HIM GETTING THIS FOX FIRE BALLOON PIN. AND THE OBSESSION ONLY GREW. SO HOW MANY ARE WE TALKING? I COUNTED 20 BOARDS THAT WERE SURROUNDED BY. WE’RE SURROUNDED. RIGHT NOW WE’RE SURROUNDED BY 20 BOARDS. THERE’S PROBABLY EIGHT, 8000 ANNOUNCING FROM LILY AND B’S TO ARRIVAL. EVEN YODA AND DARTH VADER, YOU NAME IT. HE’S GOT IT ALL ORGANIZED AND ALL BY MEMORY. A LOT OF THESE PINS COME FROM TRADING. TRADING WITH OTHER PIN TRADERS, PILOTS, PEOPLE THAT ENJOY PINS AND WHAT IT MAY SEEM. SOME WERE HARDER TO FIND THAN OTHERS. IT’S THE. THE CARE HAIR BALLOON. OKAY. YEAH. POPCORN BALLOON. COOL. THAT ONE TOOK ME FOREVER. I WANTED TO TAKE YOU TO FIND THAT ONE. ABOUT TEN YEARS. THE PASSION NOW. A FAMILY AFFAIR. SUN JUSTICE HAS A COLLECTION OF HIS OWN. A FASCINATION THAT SIMPLY HAS NO LIMIT. THERE’S ALSO A COMMEMORATIVE BOOK HONORING THIS MAJOR BALLOON FIESTA. MILES. YEAH. THE BOOK FEATURES 300 PHOTOS FROM FIESTA SINCE ITS INAUGURAL YEAR, 1972. THE BOOK FOCUSES A LOT ON THE HISTORY OF BALLOON FIESTA FROM ITS START TO ITS FOUNDER FOR BALLOONING ENTHUSIASTS ARE BEHIND THE BOOK. AND IT TOOK THEM THREE YEARS TO COMPILE EVERYTHING INSIDE. HOW DOES THAT WORK? WE WAY UP THERE ON NOTHING BUT AIR. THEY ALSO LAUNCHED THE FIRST CHILDREN’S BOOK ON FIESTA IN HONOR OF ITS 50TH YEAR. IT’S ON SALE NOW AT THE BALLOON FIESTA AND BALLOON MUSEUM GIFT SHOPS AMAZON AND ALSO BOOKS. SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS. A COLORING BOOK. CELEBRATE THE 50TH YEAR OF BALLOON FIESTA. THE ILLUSTRATOR SAYS THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNE TEACH SHE COULD NOT MISS OUT ON SINCE IT’S AN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL. I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND CELEBRATE KIND OF BALLOONING ALL OVER THE WORLD. SHE EVEN INCLUDED ALBUQUERQUE AND NEW MEXICAN CULTURE IN THE BOOK. HIND EL HOPES THE BOOK INSPIRES MORE PEOPLE TO VISIT THE THINGS DID THIS YEAR AND FOR YEARS TO COME. A LOOK AT THE OFFICIAL POSTER CELEBRATING, THE 50TH BALLOON FIESTA. IT SHOWS ALL THE LOONEY TUNES CHARACTERS LAST FEW POSTERS HAVE BEEN TELLING A STORY WITH COYOTE AND THE ROADRUNNER GETTING INTO SHENANIGANS WITH THE HOT AIR BALLOONS. I WANT WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT THE POSTERS, THEY GET A SENSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FUN TO BE HAD. BUT ALSO TO MAYBE DRAW THEM BACK TO CHILDHOOD MEMORIES, THESE CHARACTERS. NOW I LOOK AT THE CHARACTERS NO MATTER WHERE, NO MATTER WHERE I SEE THEM IN ALL CARTOONS, I ALWAYS THINK OF THE BALLOON. NOW LET’S TAKE A TRIP MEMORY LANE TO UNCOVER THE CONNECTION FIESTA AND THOSE LOONEY TUNE CHARACTERS. MIGHT EVEN SEE ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE. WHY IS IT THAT WE CAN’T FIND THE ROADRUNNER BALLOON RIGHT NOW? WHAT HE DOES IS HE GOES UP AND DOWN AND PLAYS A DIFFERENT WINDS TO TRY TO ELUDE THE CHAOS BEHIND HIM. THAT’S OUR VERY OWN JODI DIAZ TAKING PART IN THE ROADRUNNER COYOTE BALLOON RACE IN 1981. SO ONE BALLOON IS THE ROADRUNNER. ALL OF THE ARE THE COYOTES AND THE ROADRUNNER GETS A HEAD START AND THE COYOTE START THE CHASE. WHICHEVER COYOTE CLOSEST TO THE ROADRUNNER WINS. THE CHALLENGE, IT’S ALL INSPIRED BY WYLIE COYOTE AND THE ROADRUNNER. BALLOON FIESTA IS A FUN AND, BEAUTIFUL EVENT, BUT IT’S ALSO A COMPETITION. SOME PILOTS. ON THE WEEKDAYS THERE FLYING COMPETITIONS. PILOTS PICK LAUNCH SITE AT LEAST A MILE FROM THE THEN FLY TO THE FIELD. ONCE THERE, THEY ATTEMPT TO DROP A MARKER, A TARGET. AT THE END OF THE WEEK, THE PILOT WITH THE MOST POINTS IS DECLARED THE BALLOON FIESTA CHAMPION AND IS GIVEN PRIZES. FINDING PLACES TO LAND IN OUR CITY CAN BE A CHALLENGE BUT YOU CAN HELP. THE X MARKS SPOT PROGRAM IS CREATED TO WELCOME PILOTS TO A SAFE LANDING SPOT. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS AN X USING A TARP OR A BEDDING AND PLACE IT IN A BIG OPEN SPACE. THE IDEAL LANDING SPOT FOR A HOT AIR BALLOON IS ABOUT 200 FEET BY FILTERED FEEDBACK. WITH LIGHT WIND, PILOTS CAN SOMETIMES LAND IN SMALLER SPACES AND LANDING IN THE CITY HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR DECADES. BY 1980 CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT IN ALBUQUERQUE ENCROACHED SIMMS FIELD MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR SOME PILOTS TO COME DOWN SAFELY. STEPHANIE MINI SHOWS US WHERE THE EVENT MOVED IN 1981. AS MORE AND MORE BALLOONS MADE THEIR WAY TO ALBUQUERQUE EVERY OCTOBER A NEW LOCATION WAS NEEDED AGAIN. THIS AREA WAS JUST ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE THE BALLOON FIESTA PARK WAS THE NEW HOME TO THE BALLOON FIESTA. IT WAS CALLED THE CUTTER INTERNATIONAL BALLOON PORT. AND BETWEEN PURCELL NORTH AND OSUNA, THE PARK DEDICATED BY SID CUTTER, THE FATHER OF THE FIESTA, SMASHING CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE ON AN EXCAVATOR AS HE FLEW INTO THE SKY. OUR VERY OWN JOE DIAZ REPORTED ON THE LOCATION CHANGE. THIS PARK ENOUGH SPACE FOR 1000 BALLOONS TO LAUNCH. BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED. ALTHOUGH THE FIESTA ONLY STAYED HERE FOR YEARS, THE FORMER SITE IS NOW VISTA DEL NORTE. THE PARK, A POPULAR SPOT AMONG BALLOONISTS. BACK TO YOU. CUTTER FIELD WAS ALSO OUR GUEST BALLOONS FIRST APPEARED AT FIESTA. THOSE ARE A DIFFERENT THAN THOSE HOT AIR BALLOONS. WE’RE USED SEEING. GAS BALLOONS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE LATE 1700S, POWERED BY LIGHTER THAN AIR GASES. THE MOST POPULAR BEING HYDROGEN. THESE AIRCRAFT CAN FLOW SEVERAL DAYS. HOW THEY DO IS SOME OF THAT GAS WITH HEATING AND COOLING CYCLES OF THE DAY. SO TO STAY AFLOAT PILOTS WOULD DROP WEIGHT FROM THE BALLOON IN THE FORM OF WATER OR SANDBAGS. THE USUALLY TAKE ABOUT THREE DAYS AND THE TWO PILOTS SLEEP IN SHIFTS. GAS BALLOONS LAUNCHED AT FIESTA IN 1981. BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE. THEY WERE DROPPED IN 1988. IT WAS A DIFFERENT SIDE OF FIESTA AND SUPPORTERS LOBBIED TO BRING THEM BACK. SO IT BECAME A REGULAR PART OF FIESTA SINCE 1993. THAT EVENT, THE GORDON BENNETT GAS BALLOON RACE, IT HAS BEEN THE PREMIERE WORLD BALLOONING EVENT SINCE 1906, FIRST LAUNCHING FROM PARIS IN 1993. COMPETITORS LAUNCHED FROM ALBUQUERQUE. THE ARE SIMPLE. WHOEVER TRAVELS THE FURTHEST WINS THE RACE. RIGHT NOW THE RECORD IS HELD BY A TEAM FROM BELGIUM TRAVELING. 2,112.9 MILES FROM BALLOON FIESTA PARK IN THOUSAND FIVE. NOW, THEY MADE IT ALL THE WAY. QUEBEC, CANADA. EACH YEAR, THE RACE MOVES AROUND THE WORLD. THIS YEAR, TAKING OFF FROM SWITZERLAND. OUR CITY HAS HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE STARTING POINT FOR TIMES. BALLOON FIESTA, ITS OWN GAS EVENT IN 1995. THIS YEAR THE AMERICA’S CHALLENGE GAS BALLOON IS CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY. EIGHT TEAMS REPRESENTING FIVE COUNTRIES WILL LAUNCH THE FIRST WEEKEND OF FIESTA. THE CURRENT DISTANCE RECORD. THIS RACE IS 2270 5.87 MILES. HELD BY A TEAM FROM SWITZERLAND. BEFORE THAT IT WAS HELD BY RICHARD ABRUZZO AND FORMER GOVERNOR GARY JOHNSON. BALLOONS HAVE BEACONS TO SHOW THEIR POSITION SO SPECTATORS CAN WATCH ONLINE. FIESTA FANS LOVE SEEING BALLOONS FILL THE SKY, BUT WE’RE ASKING HOW EXACTLY DO THEY WORK? SOME PILOTS TRAVEL THOUSANDS UPON, THOUSANDS OF MILES TO GET TO BALLOONS. THE FDA. MY CONVERSATION WITH A PILOT COMING ALL THE WAY FROM BELGIUM AND MANY EYES ON THE BALLOON FIESTA FLAGPOLE. HOW IT SHOWS ATTENDEES, WHAT KIND OF THEY WERE TO. AND WE ARE CELEBRATING YEARS THROUGH YOUR PHOTOS. THIS 672 PILOTS ARE MAKING THEIR WAY HERE TO TAKE OFF INTO OUR SKY. 81 OF THEM ARE COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. I SPOKE TO ONE OF THEM ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PART OF SUCH A INTERNATIONAL EVENT. IT’S A BUZZ OF EXCITEMENT THAT STRETCHES AROUND THE WORLD AND BALLOON FIESTA PILOTS ARE THE FUEL BEHIND EXCITEMENT. PETER VAN OVERALL IN BELGIUM. HE STARTED BALLOONING IN 1997, SHORTLY AFTER HE TOOK HIS FIRST BALLOON RIDE AND HE WAS HOOKED. HE STARTED COMING TO ALBUQUERQUE TWO YEARS LATER, IN 1999, AND HIS ONLY MASS BALLOON FIESTA TWICE SINCE THEN DURING COVID. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AND BESIDES OUR BALLOONING CONDITIONS, PETER SAYS IT’S HIS ALBUQUERQUE BASED CREW THAT KEEPS HIM COMING BACK. A STRONG BOND TETHERS THE GROUP. HE EVEN STAYS WITH A CREW MEMBER DURING FIESTA. THAT’S FOUR YEARS NOW. AND I LOVE IT. AND THEY LOVE IT, TOO. IT’S KIND OF THE GATHERING PLACE FOR ALL THE CREW COMES TOGETHER IN THE MORNING AND THEN WE HEAD OUT WITH THEM. AND YOU LIKELY RECOGNIZE HIS PETER’S BALLOON, THE PINK ELEPHANT, A TEHRAN. IT’S CALLED PRINCESS MALLY, A FAN FAVORITE SPECIAL SHAPE. HER QUIRKY EXPRESSION WITH HER TONGUE OUT. PETER SOAKS UP SECOND OF THE VERY EARLY MORNINGS ON THE FIELD. ALBUQUERQUE IS A PLACE YOU SEE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU MIGHT THAT YOU MIGHT SEE ONLY ONCE A YEAR. BUT ALBUQUERQUE’S NEVER ALWAYS FEELS LIKE A. IT WASN’T THE YEAR AGO. YOU JUST SAW EACH OTHER YESTERDAY. YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, PRINCESS NELLY IS ONE OF 120 SPECIAL SHAPES AND ALL ENJOY GAZING UP FOR HOURS WATCHING THEM FILL THE SKY. AND WHILE PETER ENJOYS VISITING PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD. FLY NELLY. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE FAVORITE SIZE WISE AND BRUTALIZE ALBUQUERQUE, OF COURSE, ONE FAVORITE CHALLENGE FOR MANY OF THE OUT-OF-TOWN THE SPLASH AND DASH. THEY SLOWLY DIP THEIR BASKETS TO THE RIO GRANDE BEFORE FIRING THEIR BURNERS UP TO GET BACK IN THE SKY. IT IS A SPECIAL KILLER SITE. IN YEARS PAST, WE HAVE SEEN KAYAKERS HOPING TO GRAB THE PERFECT SHOT. NOT ONLY IS IT A CHALLENGE, BUT WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE JUST RIGHT TO GET THE BALLOONS LINED UP ALONG RIVER. AND WEATHER PLAYS A MAJOR FACTOR. DECIDING IF WE WILL SEE BALLOONS FLY AT ALL. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST JOE DIAZ EXPLAINS THE CONDITIONS NEEDED TO GET BALLOONS AIRBORNE. HUNDREDS BALLOONS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS SPECTATORS CONVERGE ON THIS GRASSY 80 ACRE FIELD TO BE PART OF THE LARGEST BALLOONING EVENT IN THE WORLD. AND EACH MORNING, THE QUESTION IS STILL SAME. WILL THE BALLOONS TAKE OR NOT. BASICALLY, CLEAR SKIES, LIGHT WINDS WILL DO THE TRICK. AND ONLY DO THE WINDS HAVE TO BE LIGHT AT THE SURFACE. BUT SO DO THE WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE, BECAUSE BALLOONS FLY WITH THE WIND. SO WHEN IT COMES TO LANDING BALLOON, STRONG WINDS CAN LEAD TO VERY ROUGH LANDINGS AND NO WANTS THAT. SO WHAT KEEPS YOU SEEING THESE MASSIVE AIRCRAFT TAKE FLIGHT? MOST ARE PRETTY OBVIOUS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, SLEET AND SNOW. YES, IT HAS ACTUALLY SNOWED IN PAST BALLOON FIESTAS. LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO OVERCAST SKIES OR FOG AND HEAVY RAIN COULD WIDESPREAD PONDING ON THE LAUNCH SITE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO KEEP BALLOONS, THEIR VEHICLES OFF THE FIELD. BUT THE BIGGEST WEATHER ELEMENT CREATING, THE MOST PROBLEM IS WIND. IT HAS TO BE LOWER THAN 11.5 MILES AN HOUR. SPECIAL SHAPES ARE TYPICALLY MORE IN THE 5 TO 7 KNOT RANGE. I WOULD. SO YOU’RE LOOKING AT 5 TO 7, EIGHT MILES AN HOUR TOPS FOR ANY OF THE SPECIAL SHAPES TO GO. WE’RE TO MAKE THE BEST SAFE DECISION FOR THE PILOTS. THE FIESTA HAS A TEAM OF EXPERT METEOROLOGISTS TAKING WIND READINGS AND STUDYING ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. THAT INFORMATION IS GIVE IT TO THE BALLOON OFFICIALS TO HELP DETERMINE IF AN EVENT IS A GO OR NO GO. WE’VE GOT SKYDIVERS. WE’VE GOT FIREWORKS. WE’VE GOT BANDS PERFORMING. THERE’S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND SO GIVEN THAT THAT’S THE CASE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO ANY OF THOSE. IF THE WEATHER CHANGE OUR OUR OPERATION. THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA IS NOW IN ITS 50TH YEAR AND WITH IT A LONG HISTORY OF SUCCESSFUL EVENTS AND BALLOON GLOWS, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HAVE MADE THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED EVENT IN THE WORLD. THE VISUAL SIGNAL FOR AND SPECTATORS TO KNOW IF THE CONDITIONS ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO FLY IS A FLAG POLE. IT’S A COLOR CODED SYSTEM WHERE GREEN GIVES PILOTS THE GREEN LIGHT AND THE BALLOONS CAN FLY. YELLOW MEANS STANDBY AND THE RED FLAG MEANS CONDITIONS ARE JUST SAFE. THERE’S A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE KEY IN MAKING SURE BALLOONS LAUNCH EACH DURING BALLOON FIESTA. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ZEBRAS. THE REASON FOR THE NAME. THEY WEAR BLACK WHITE STRIPE SHIRTS. WANT TO WALK THIS WAY? PILOTS SEE WHAT’S ABOVE THEM. SO THE ZEBRAS MAKE? SURE. IT’S CLEAR FOR THEM TO LAUNCH INTO THE SKY, GIVING THEM THE GO LAUNCH. THERE’S A LOT THAT GOES INTO GETTING HOT AIR BALLOONS READY FOR. ANCHOR SASHA LENNINGER SPENT TIME WITH THE CREW TO SHOW US HOW THEY’RE ASSEMBLED AND HOW THESE AIRCRAFT WORK. PILOTING HOT AIR BALLOON IS A TEAM SPORT USUALLY A CREW WHO LOVES THOSE EARLY MORNING AND SOME GOOD FLYING CONDITIONS. MOTHER NATURE MUST WORK IN YOUR FAVOR. AND THE WHOLE PROCESS OF SETTING UP A HOT AIR BALLOON TAKES A BIT. IT STARTS THE BASKET, ALSO KNOWN AS THE GONDOLA. THAT INVOLVES PUTTING THE UPRIGHTS ON THE BURNER, PUT THE BURNER UP, AND THEN WE PUT THE SUSPENSION CABLES AND ATTACH THEM WITH CARABINERS. AFTER MAKING SURE THOSE ARE TIGHT, THEY ATTACH PROPANE LINES AND CHECK FOR LEAKS BEFORE ATTACHING THE BURNERS. AS THE WEATHER COLDER, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PRESSURE TO GIVE US ENOUGH HEAT TO LIFT THE BALLOON. ONCE THAT’S DONE, WE TIP THE BASKET OVER AND THEN WE ATTACH IT TO THE ENVELOPE. THAT’S THE COLORFUL. THEY CHECK THE CONNECTIONS FOR SAFETY. THEN STRETCH THE ENVELOPE AND INFLATE IT WITH FAN. AND IT JUST BLOWS COLD AIR INTO THE ENVELOPE. AND ONCE THE ENVELOPE IS NICE AND PACKED, THEN THAT’S WHEN WE WILL GET IN THE BASKET AND APPLY THE BURNER TO HEAT UP THE AIR, PUSHING THE BALLOON UPRIGHT. NOW IT’S TIME TO TAKE FLIGHT. HOT AIR CAUSES THE AIRCRAFT TO RISE. AND ONCE OFF THE GROUND, YOU’RE AT THE MERCY. THE WINDS BLOWING DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SPEEDS DEPENDING ON THE ALTITUDE. PILOTS CLIMB OR DESCEND TO GO IN THE THEY WANT. NOW TO MAKE THE RISE, THE PILOT USES THESE BURNERS TO ADD HEAT INTO THE ENVELOPE TO MAKE IT DESCEND. THEY LET THE AIR COOL OR THEY PULL THE VALVE AT THE TOP. BACK TO YOU. WHILE MOST PEOPLE WILL BE LOOKING UP AT BALLOONS AS THEY TAKE OVER THE SKY THERE’S A GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE GROUND AFTER THEM. EACH BALLOON, A TEAM TRYING TO PINPOINT WHERE IT, WILL LAND. THE PILOT TALKS TO THEM, THE RADIO, TO KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP. THEN WHEN THE FLIGHT IS DONE, THEY HELP SAFELY BRING THE BALLOON BACK TO THE GROUND. 2021 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF REMOTE CONTROLLED WERE FEATURED AT THE FIESTA. SO THE BALLOONS ARE ABOUT EIGHT TIMES SMALLER THAN TRADITIONAL HOT AIR BALLOONS. THEY’RE LAUNCHED INTO THE AIR USING SIMILAR PROPANE BURNERS AND CONTROLLED REMOTELY. BEING A REMOTE CONTROLLED BALLOON ENTHUSIAST IS NOT A CHEAP HOBBY. THE BALLOONS CAN COST UP TO $5,000. STILL MUCH CHEAPER THAN A NEW HOT AIR BALLOON, WHICH STARTS AROUND 40,000. BALLOONISTS ARE HOPING TO SET TWO WORLD RECORDS THIS YEAR. ONE IS FOR THE MOST BALLOONS GLOWING AT NIGHT. THE OTHER IS FOR THE MOST REMOTE CONTROLLED BALLOONS IN THE SKY AT ONCE. WE DID SOME RESEARCH, FOUND OUT THE LARGEST GLOW HAPPENED SAUDI ARABIA EARLIER THIS YEAR IN MARCH WITH 142 BALLOONS. THE BALLOON FIESTA IS NO STRANGER TO SETTING WORLD RECORDS. 2019 MASS ASCENSION HAD 524 HOT AIR BALLOONS AND IS CALLED THE, QUOTE, GREATEST MASS HOT AIR BALLOON ASCENT. ACCORDING TO THE BOOK GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS EVENT SAY THEY SET PREVIOUS RECORDS 2010 AND 2011. TODAY, SEEING A FIELD FULL OF FLICKERING BALLOONS MAY SEEM NORMAL, BUT BALLOON DID NOT EXIST UNTIL 1987. THAT’S RIGHT. APPLEMAN CAME UP WITH THE IDEA AFTER SEEING A SIMILAR EVENT IN COLORADO. HE SUGGESTED IT TO FIESTA, BUT THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD ONLY WANT TO WATCH THE BALLOON FLY. EVENTUALLY, HE CONVINCED TO GIVE IT A SHOT. THEY STILL GET CHILLS THINKING ABOUT THAT EVENING, WATCHING THE FIRST ORDER. PEOPLE WERE TOTALLY ENTHUSED. THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT AND ORGANIZERS REALIZED ONLY WAS IT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT BUT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR CAMARADERIE. YOU KNOW THE SPECTATORS AND PILOTS. APLIN ALSO CREATED UNOFFICIAL KICKOFF TO BALLOON FIESTA. ALBUQUERQUE ALOFT STARTED IN 2000, FIVE PILOTS LAUNCHED THEIR BALLOONS FROM SCHOOL GROUNDS IN ALBUQUERQUE AND IN RIO RANCHO. PARENTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS GET CHANCE TO MEET THE PILOTS AND CREW AND LEARN HOW A BALLOON FLIES. THE FIESTA’S IMPACT REACHES BEYOND BALLOON FIESTA PARK. HEAD OVER TO OLD TOWN FOR BALLOON FIESTA WEEK. SO EACH DAY FROM NOON UNTIL FOUR BEGINNING THE FRIDAY BEFORE BALLOON FIESTA, YOU CAN FIND LIVE MUSIC CULTURALLY INFLUENCED PERFORMANCES AND COURSE LOCAL SHOPPING AND SOME SHOP OWNERS SAY THE DUKE CITY GETS PACKED TIME OF YEAR AND THEY WELCOME THE VISITORS. I UNDERESTIMATED IT. WE’VE BEEN HAVING A CONSTANT LINE, THE DOOR. WE KNEW IT WAS GOING BE BUSY AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I UNDERESTIMATED IT A LITTLE BIT. IT’S A BIG BOOST FOR BUSINESS. SOME SHOPS SEE SALES TRIPLE JELLY. THIS IS FOR YOU FOODIES. STAY WITH US. WE’RE SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE BALLOONS. YES. WITH STAPLES, WITH TIES TO, THE BEGINNING. SO MUCH GOOD STUFF. MORE THAN BALLOONS. THERE’S ALSO LOVE IN THE AIR. HOW SOME COUPLES CELEBRATE AT THE FIESTA. AND A YOUNG PILOT PREPARING TO LAUNCH AT THIS YEAR’S FIESTA. WE’RE GOING INTRODUCE YOU TO HER AND SEE HOW SHE’S GETTING. AND WE ARE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS THROUGH YOUR PHOTOS. WE’RE CELEBRATING YEARS OF COLOR FILLING. THE SKIES ABOVE THE DUKE CITY WATCHING, THOSE BALLOONS IS JUST A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE IT’S A STELLAR SUN. SHOWS US HOW THE EVENT BECAME EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR WHEN THOSE SPECIAL SHAPES JOINED THE EVENT FROM ADORABLE ANIMALS SMOKEY THE BEAR TO ICONIC CHARACTERS. WE’VE GOT YODA AND EVEN SYMBOLS CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE. PEOPLE’S IMAGINATIONS ARE REALLY THE ONLY THAT CAN LIMIT THEM IN CREATING SPECIAL SHAPED BALLOON. BEFORE THIS EVENT BECAME A MASSIVE RODEO, IT STARTED WITH JUST ONE SPECIAL SHAPE, STARTED BACK IN 1989, AND AT THAT TIME, KABOOM, WHICH WAS OUR VERY FIRST SPECIAL SHAPE THAT ATTENDED BALLOON FIESTA. EVER SINCE THAT FIRST SPECIAL SHAPE, IT’S ACTUALLY GROWN MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR FOR THE GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF BALLOON FIESTA. THERE WILL BE NEW LINEUP OF SHAPES TO ADMIRE SHAPES LIKE A TASMANIAN DEVIL, A FLYING SAUCER AND EVEN A TOY CAR, BRINGING US TO A GRAND TOTAL OF 120 SPECIAL SHAPE BALLOONS THE MOST EVER. SOME FAVORITES, OF COURSE. BE BACK. WE’RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR FRIEND FROM CANADA ARROW. BELL AND THE KIDS JUST THAT SPECIAL SHAPE. CAL, MANY OF THESE UNIQUE BALLOONS WILL LAUNCH AT A MORNING ASCENSION, BUT ALL OF THEM WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE SPECIAL SHAPES. CLAUDIO THE BALLOONS WILL ACTUALLY INFLATE NIGHT, AND THEY GLOW UNDER THE STARS SO THEY’RE NOT FLYING AT NIGHT, BUT CAN COME OUT AND ENJOY AND WALK AROUND AND SEE ALL YOUR FAVORITE SHAPES. FUN SHAPES BRING OUT THE CHILD IN ALL OF US. MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME ARE CREATED AT BALLOON FIESTA PARK. THE BRIGHT SHAPES AND COLORS, CREATING A BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP FOR A PROPOSAL IN 2017. RICHARD ANDERSON PROPOSED TO HIS GIRLFRIEND ADRIANA LOPEZ. SHE’D BEEN TO BALLOON FIESTA BEFORE, BUT RICHARD HAD NEVER BEEN. SO WHAT BETTER PLACE TO PROPOSE? I JUST KEPT THINKING LIKE, IS THIS REAL? WHAT DO I DO? AND I WAS I DON’T REMEMBER THINKING ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT. AND THEN HE PULLED OUT THE RING FROM HIS JACKET. THAT WAS LIKE SHAKY RICHARD GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS MOTHER IN LAW PLANNING THE PROPOSAL AFTER SHE SAID YES THEY HOPPED IN A BALLOON AND TOOK A ROMANTIC RIDE, ONE ALBUQUERQUE COUPLE DECIDED TO GET MARRIED ON THE SMOKEY BEAR BALLOON DURING FIESTA. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WEATHER KEPT IT FROM LAUNCHING. INSTEAD, THEY GOT MARRIED ON THE FIRE ENGINE THAT CARRIES THE BALLOON. EIGHT YEARS LATER, THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO TAKE THAT RIDE, PILOTING A BALLOON CAN BE COMPLICATED, BUT ONE YOUNG WOMAN MET THE CHALLENGE AND IT JUST. SHE IS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PILOTS AT THIS YEAR’S FIESTA SPOKE WITH ANCHOR SASHA LENNINGER ABOUT HER LOVE FOR THE SPORT. MY DAD’S A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON AND SO I KIND OF SWALLOWED LONG AUTUMN GONZALEZ HAS A PASSION FOR HOT AIR BALLOONS, ESPECIALLY THE SERENITY THAT COMES WITH THE SPORT WHEN YOU’RE OUT THERE IN THE AIR, EVERYTHING’S SO SMALL AND STILL IT KIND OF IT’S KIND OF LIKE LIFE PAUSE FOR A MINUTE. AT JUST 18 YEARS OLD. GONZALES IS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PILOTS AT THIS YEAR’S FIESTA MAKING HISTORY. THE PERSON WHO TAUGHT HER EVERYTHING SHE KNOWS ABOUT BALLOONING HER DAD. IT’S AN HONOR. I MEAN, IT’S PRETTY COOL JUST HAVING THAT HISTORY IN YOUR FAMILY. SHE’S FLYING THE JOURNEY. IT’S A BLACK BALLOON WITH A OF PLANETS AND STARS. SAYS THERE WAS NO OTHER BALLOON LIKE IT. SO IT’LL BE EASY TO SPOT. THERE SHE IS. JUST HAVE FUN. I MEAN, GOT INTO THIS PASSION BECAUSE. GAVE ME AN ESCAPE FROM REALITY PAUSED LIFE FOR A MINUTE GONZALEZ HOPES HER STORY TEACHES KIDS ESPECIALLY GIRLS TO STRIVE FOR WHAT THEY LOVE DO. I MEAN IF IT’S YOUR PASSION, FOLLOW IT TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG PILOTS. GONZALEZ IS ONE OF 218 YEAR OLD PILOTS AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT. A LOT OF SIGHTS TO SEE FIESTA. AND IT’S NOT LIMITED TO BALLOONS UP AND YOU MIGHT SEE THE TEAM FAST TRACK SKYDIVERS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT VIDEO OF THEM FREEFALLING THROUGH THE FROM 7000 FEET ABOVE AT SPEEDS UP TO 120 MILES PER HOUR. SOMETIMES THE DIVERS, FIREWORKS OR A GIANT AMERICAN STRAPPED TO THEIR ANKLES. IT TAKES 8 HOURS TO PLAN THE ONE PERFORMANCE. AND THEY TELL US TRUST IS KEY, ESPECIALLY DURING NIGHT WHEN YOU’RE DOING WHAT WE DO AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY HAVE TO TRUST THE PERSON NEXT YEAR WITH YOUR LIFE IT’S 100% SUCCESS MISSION YOU KNOW WE DON’T WE DON’T TAKE RISKS WE DON’T TAKE CHANCES IT’S NOT TIME ON TARGET EVERY TIME EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY DON’T TAKE RISKS, THEY TELL US THE RUSH THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT IS WORTH THE REWARD, ESPECIALLY ONCE THEY LAND BACK ON THE GROUND. WE ALL HAVE A PASSION FOR THE SPORT AND PUTTING ON GREAT PERFORMANCES, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR INTERACTING WITH THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND AFTER A GREAT PERFORMANCE. THAT’S WHAT DRIVES ME PERSONALLY FOR. ME, IT’S, IT’S WHEN I LAND ON THE GROUND. AND THEN A KID SAID THAT WAS SO COOL, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE’S THERE’S NO THERE’S NO GREATER EXPERIENCE THAN THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IS THE DIVES WHEN THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF IS THE FIREWORKS COMING OUT OF THEIR BOOTS NATURAL ARTWORK ON DISPLAY APPLE AND FIESTA AND IT’S DONE WITH CHAINSAWS THEY TRANSFORM THE WOOD INTO INTRICATE, DETAILED SCULPTURES. THEY EVEN TORCH THE WOOD TO ADD SOME OF THE DARKER IN A POPULAR PIECES ARE DISPLAYED AND AUCTIONED EACH DAY WE LOOK OUT INTO THE CROWD. YOU SEE SOMEBODY AND YOU TAKE A COUPLE OF SECONDS TO LOOK. YOU GO, OH MY GOSH, WE SAW THEM LAST YEAR. THEY BOUGHT A COOL PIECE AND. YOU DO YOU MAKE LONG LASTING FRIENDSHIPS THE WOOD CARVERS TRAVEL TO FIESTA FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU SEE A CARVING YOU LIKE A LOT OF THE PIECES FOR SALE AND THERE’S AN AUCTION ANOTHER MAIN ATTRACTION THE YES IT IS ANGEL SAUCEDO US ONE REGULAR FIESTA MEAL THAT IT’S RUMORED TO HAVE STARTED THERE NOT LONG AFTER FIESTA BEGAN FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, THE HEART OF BLUE FIESTA CAN BE FOUND IN FOOD WEB OF BOTH. HOWEVER, THERE’S STILL MORE SPECIFICALLY IN A TORTILLA ALL RIGHT, THIS IS GREAT. THIS IS GREAT. THAT’S. WE KEEP THEM SO HIGH. FOR DECADES, THE BREAKFAST HAS WOVEN ITSELF INTO FIESTA DNA. HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO POUR? AND NOW, 50 YEARS LATER, IT’S STILL A STAPLE. YOU KIND OF GOT TO HAVE A BREAKFAST BURRITO. THEY’RE SORT OF SYNONYMOUS WITH BALLOON FIESTA. ERIKA HAHN IS THE CONCESSIONS MANAGER FOR BALLOON FIESTA. IT’S NICE TO HAVE A WARM BURRITO YOU GOT TO GO WITH. YEAH. GET WITH CHRISTMAS WHILE YOU’RE OUT HERE, TOO. HUNT SAYS THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF BURRITOS AND MUCH MORE FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIESTA. WE HAVE ROUGHLY 40 FOOD AND 40 MERCHANDISE CONCESSIONAIRES. BUT THEY’RE NOT JUST FROM HERE IN NEW MEXICO. WE HAVE 17 STATES OUTSIDE OF NEW MEXICO, REPRESENTED IN OUR CONCESSIONS AND ARTISANS THIS YEAR, JOHN SAYS THERE WILL BE SOMETHING FOR EVERY TASTE, CRAVING AND SWEET TOOTH DONUTS. ICE CREAM, SLUSHIES, THE TYPICAL TURKEY LEGS, CHEESEBURGERS, GREEN CHILI CHEESEBURGERS. AND OF COURSE, THAT CLASSIC BREAKFAST BURRITO. SO, YOU KNOW, TODD, OUR OWN JODI IS DID STORIES WITH THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED THE ORIGINAL BREAKFAST BURRITO. THAT’S RIGHT. HE ONCE TOLD ME THAT THESE WERE DEVELOPED BECAUSE THEY’RE BASICALLY THE PERFECT MEAL FOR THE PILOTS. THEY’RE GRABBING. SO BEFORE THEY TAKE TO THE SKIES. YEAH, IT MAKES PERFECT. AND THEY ALSO MAKE GREAT HAND ON THOSE REALLY COLD MORNINGS. THEY DO. SO ANOTHER FUN BALLOON FIESTA EXPERIENCE. GLAMPING. IT’S A SURE WAY TO BEAT THE FIESTA TRAFFIC, RIGHT? YOU SLEEP IN A TENT NEAR, THE PARK. YOU ALSO GET ACCESS TO A RESTROOM AND A HOSPITALITY AREA WITH GRILLS, GAMES AND LOUNGE. YEAH. YOU’LL ALSO RECEIVE A WELCOME. A HEATER AND A FRIDGE. THE COST FOR TWO PEOPLE TO STAY IN THESE TENTS FOR THREE NIGHTS IS 1500 BUCKS. A NEW EXHIBIT TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT FIESTA YEAR ROUND. AND WE’RE TAKING YOU TO THE CURRENT SITE OF THE OLYMPICS. TO SOME THINGS YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT. AND WE ARE ENJOYING MEMORIES AS WE CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF FIESTA. TODAY, MANY OF YOU USED TO COMING OUT ON A COLD OCTOBER AND SEEING THIS ENORMOUS GRASSY FIELD FILLED WITH BALLOONS. YEAH. DID KNOW THAT IF YOU TOOK 54 FOOTBALL FIELDS, YOU COULD FIT THEM INTO THIS SPACE RIGHT HERE. THIS THE BIGGEST AND LONGEST RUNNING SITE A FIESTA. 26 YEARS NOW, BUT BEFORE BEING HELD HERE, THE ANNUAL WAS ACROSS THE STREET. THAT’S A REFINED STEPHANIE MUNOZ. HEY GUYS. RIGHT NOW I’M THE SOUTH RV PARKING LOT FOR BALLOON FIESTA PARK. BUT IT WAS ONCE AS BALLOON IT WAS THE FIRST TIME CITY LAND WAS USED. THE EVENT. THE FIESTA WAS HERE FROM 1986 TO 1995. DURING THIS TIME, THEY GAVE FIESTA GOERS A NEW NIGHTTIME EXPERIENCE. AND A FEW YEARS LATER, THEY ADDED THE SPECIAL SHIP RODEO. BECAUSE THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A LANDFILL THE AREA COULDN’T BE PERMANENTLY DEVELOPED AND THERE WASN’T MUCH ROOM FOR GROWTH. THE ENTIRE PARK WAS 77 ACRES, ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS THE GRASSY AREA, THE CURRENT PARK. IN 1996, THE EVENT MOVED TO ITS HOME RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. SO THIS CURRENT SITE IS FULLY GRASSED. IT’S MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE PILOTS AND THE GUESTS AND AND IT’S PEAK. THE FIELD HAS HAD MORE 1000 BALLOONS. A NEW EXHIBIT COMING TO THE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON MUSEUM. IT’S GIVING PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT BALLOON FEELS LIKE. YEAR ROUND. HERE’S ANCHOR DARLENE MELENDEZ, GIVING YOU A FIRST LOOK AT THE CANOPY OF COLOR THAT WILL GIVE VISITORS THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF FIESTA LONG AFTER OCTOBER. THOSE BALLOON FIESTA FEELS HAVE A PERMANENT HOME. THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON. THE MUSEUM’S DIRECTOR SAYING EXHIBIT OF THIS MAGNITUDE CERTAINLY A MISSING PIECE. THIS WAS ONE OF THE STORIES THAT WE ARE TO TELL HERE AT THE BALLOON MUSEUM. AND NOW IT HAS A PERMANENT FOOTPRINT WITHIN OUR MUSEUM. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN EVERYTHING HERE IS GOING TO STAY IS. IT’S BEEN AROUND THE CLOCK FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, GATHERING ARTIFACTS AND HUNDREDS OF HOURS, INTERVIEWS ALL TO BRING THE BALLOON FIESTA’S HISTORY TO LIFE. I’M PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE PUT TOGETHER IN THIS INAUGURAL EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS MULTILAYERED. THERE’S MULTIPLE MEANINGS AND IN INTERACTIVE GIVE TWIST, ALLOWING VISITORS TO STEP INSIDE A REIMAGINED BASKET THE BURNER. PREPARE FOR LIFT OFF AND ALSO HEAD TO A GEO DOME WHERE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO SPLASH AND DASH THE RIO GRANDE. THERE IT’S HANDS ON TO WHAT THE CHANCE TO FEEL THE FABRIC OF A REAL HOT AIR BALLOON AND WE HOPE PEOPLE ALSO JUST FEEL THE JOY AND THE BEAUTY IN THE EXHIBIT AS. WELL. IT’S THAT SAME BEAUTY AND JOY THAT’S AT THE CORE OF WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE COMING BACK TO BALLOON FIESTA OCTOBER AFTER OCTOBER. BALLOON FIESTA IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF ALBUQUERQUE CULTURE. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US HERE. PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND NOW THEY CAN EXPERIENCE IT ALL YEAR LONG. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS CELEBRATION OF NEW MEXICO’S MOST EVENT. FROM JUST 13 BALLOONS TO 100. NOW PAINTING OUR SKIES CREATING MEMORIES FOR PEOPLE. DECADE AFTER DECADE. THIS YEAR, THE TRADITION WILL GLOW BRIGHTER THAN IT EVER HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO WOW WORLD FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS. AND BEYOND.