Save The Date

Join us October 5-13, 2024 for the 52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta powered by ExxonMobil in Albuquerque, New Mexico. More information available at www.balloonfiesta.com.

Balloon Fiesta Insider

Thank you everyone for participating in the 2024 RV Reservation process. We tracked more than 74,500 thousand inquiries, confirmed 2,009 reservations, and have a waitlist of 3,684 people. This year, Balloon Fiesta reduced the number of available RV spaces to accommodate more event parking. Converting the North VIP RV parking to event parking reduced the number of available RV spaces. 

General admission tickets and premium tickets for Glamping, Camp 505, Concierge Program, Chasers Club and Gondola Club ticks go on sale Friday, April 5, 9 a.m. MDT. More information can be found here: https://balloonfiesta.com/

Merchandise Update

We would like to give a shoutout to all those who participated in the 2024 Serigraph Poster Contest! Since its inception in 1972, the Balloon Fiesta poster has garnered immense popularity, emerging as a coveted collectible with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta community.

Out of 73 entries, we’re thrilled to announce Jake Gushard as the Official Balloon Fiesta Artist 2024. Jake, a 2020 La Cueva graduate now studying Cybersecurity at Purdue University, impressed our judging team with his nighttime-themed design, incorporating this year's theme colors. Stay tuned for the grand reveal of Jake’s poster in June 2024.

Additionally, we have 9 “honorable mention” submissions, and we’re exploring potential inclusion on other merchandise items. Congratulations to Lisa Avila, Amanda Brady, Ty Creighton, Trevor Jones, Denis Kennedy, Daniel Killen, Pi Luna, Kayla Penner and Jason Valencia.

You can explore the rich history of Balloon Fiesta posters in our Collector’s Corner here.

To be the first to know about new items, sales, and other Balloon Fiesta Stuff, make sure you are subscribed to What’s Up Wednesday. https://balloonfiestastuff.com/pages/wuw-subscribe

Faces of Fiesta

Name: Jennifer Schurman

Title: RV Manager

Years with Balloon Fiesta: As of February 4th, I have been with Balloon Fiesta 4 years. I have been attending Balloon Fiesta prior to working here, off and on for 40 years. I have attended as a spectator, worked it when I was a New Mexico State Police Officer and as the Fiesta Tents caterer over those years. I was actually born the same day as the 1st Balloon Fiesta. A memorable time was enjoying my 50th birthday on the 50th Anniversary. It was pretty cool, I got balloons, drone shows and fireworks for my birthday! I still feel like a kid during Balloon Fiesta. It takes me back to when I first started attending with my church youth group as a child.

Overview: I am a native New Mexican born in Roswell (I promise, I’m not an alien). I attended Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado on a volleyball scholarship. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management. I have had the opportunity to live in several different states, Colorado, Texas, and Louisiana. I’ve been back in New Mexico since 2000. I’m a big fan of football and baseball. If I’m not watching or attending a game, I spend my time with my family, friends and neighbors as well as my 3 cats, Piper, Aza & Buster and my Maltese, Maya. I’ve recently taken up starting a garden from seeds. It is still a work in progress.



Rapid fire with Jennifer:

Start time during Balloon Fiesta: My days start around 5:00 am making my rounds in each of the RV lots. Throughout the day, I visit and assist my Navigators in each lot ensuring they have everything they need for the RV guests. Depending on the day, I usually end the day around 8:30 pm-9:00 pm.

Favorite spot on the field to watch the balloons: I have a couple of locations where I enjoy watching or observing the balloons. During the morning, I enjoy watching from the area near Sponsor Hospitality south of the launch field. During the evening, I enjoy observing the balloons from the President’s Compound RV lot or VIP East RV lot located above the launch field on top of the East side bluff (admission is limited to the RVers renting space in those lots).

Inside the Basket

Don Henderson is one of the Balloon Fiesta Official Photographers, specializing in aerial photos taken from the basket.

In this month’s Inside the Basket, he gives a look at his journey in becoming an Official event photographer, some unique challenges and advantages of photographing from a balloon basket and gives advice for aspiring photographers coming to Balloon Fiesta in October 2024.

February in Ballooning

Did you know? In February 1973, Albuquerque hosted the First World Hot Air Balloon Championship at the Fairgrounds. In 1975, the festival was moved from February to October and from the Fairgrounds to Simms Field.



February is still highlighted as an important month in Albuquerque ballooning, marked this year by the opening of the Navigator Application on February 1^st, 2024. Navigators help before, during, and after the event and are critical to the event's success. Navigators are essential to every area of operations, providing guest services, administrative services, balloon coordination, safety, set-up, and logistics on approximately 45 different teams. For more information on becoming a Navigator, visit https://balloonfiesta.com/Volunteers-New.

February Photo-of-the-Month

We have received some beautiful pictures of the 51^st event, submitted through the Cindy Petrehn Memorial Photo Contest! Below is the Dawn Patrol/Balloon Glow Category First Place Winner, Bruce Wong.

Do you have a Balloon Fiesta photo of which you’re proud? Share your favorite Balloon Fiesta image on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and tag our page for a chance to be featured in next month’s newsletter!

Read all about it

Check out the latest media coverage about Balloon Fiesta:

• Taos News highlights the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in their article about Father of the Modern-Day Hot Air Balloon, Ed Yost.
• National Geographic highlights the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in their 20 of the coolest travel adventures for 2024.

Sponsor Spotlight

Bobby J’s Yamaha is the longest-running Yamaha dealership in the U.S., family-owned and operated since 1956. They sell new Yamaha, CFMOTO, and Husavarna motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs along with providing a huge selection of parts and accessories with four bay service shops. Bobby J’s Yamaha has been a sponsor for as long as they can remember. The 52^nd event marks another year for them as a Balloon Fiesta Official Sponsor including a sponsorship of a balloon that flies their logo. Their support of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta provides their team with the opportunity to be a part of this great event and see their ATVs out on the field helping transport law enforcement and Balloon Fiesta Officials around the park. Bobby J’s Yamaha favorite part of being involved with the event is the exposure to so many different people in the community getting to see their ATVs and how it has created such a following for their yearly “Balloon Fiesta Demo Sale” that takes place the week after Balloon Fiesta. We thank them for their support!

For a complete list of Balloon Fiesta sponsors, click here.