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

Did you know that Balloon Fiesta has a unique opportunity for groups of up to 20 people to enjoy the event together? Fiesta Sky Box, perfect for small businesses and those celebrating milestone birthdays, anniversaries, engagements and more! A great way to elevate your group’s Balloon Fiesta experience. The all-inclusive package offers a specially outfitted shipping container in a prime location on Balloon Fiesta’s launch field, upper deck seating, a patio with a fire pit, a host bar, food, premium parking and more.

To learn more about this opportunity, click here: https://balloonfiesta.com/Sky-Box

Merchandise Update

The weather is heating up, which means it’s time to get outside and explore the beautiful landscapes New Mexico has to offer! And, just in time, we’ve released our baseball caps and visors!

The baseball cap showcases a vibrant Balloon Fiesta design, adding a playful touch to your outfit. Equipped with LED lights, it enhances visibility during nighttime activities, making it perfect for evening adventures and events. With a comfortable fit and eye-catching details, this ballcap blends fun and functionality seamlessly.

The Navy-blue visor with red accents and trim is perfect for any outdoor activity when you want to keep the sun off your face. The visor showcases Balloon Fiesta 3D-embroidered across the front and the official AIBF seal on the adjustable back strap. If you're a visor fan, you'll want this one in your collection.

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: Lisa Mulder

Title: Merchandise Manager

Years with Balloon Fiesta: I started volunteering with the merchandise team in 2005 and became a full-time employee in 2012. The 1st time I attended the Balloon Fiesta was when my family moved here in 1986. My aunt and uncle came out from California to go to a balloon glow with us. The parking lot was a dirt field and I stepped out of the car right into a fire ant nest getting bitten a few times. That was when I 1st learned I was allergic to their bites! I stuck it out, however, and enjoyed the event with my family. It really was something we had never seen before, being a military family with a lot of traveling under our belts. When we went to leave the parking lot it was incredibly dark, and my uncle accidentally drove his car into a ditch, so we had to wait for a tow truck to pull him out. I am sure we were not the 1st ones to do that! Even with such a crazy first time, I still found myself drawn to the event for many years following. I even joined a balloon crew after I won a balloon ride when I was teaching 1st grade and 8 months pregnant with my first child, in 2003.

Overview/Bio: Being at Balloon Fiesta since 2012, my family has been a huge support system for me, my three kids practically grew up at Balloon Fiesta, and now 2 of them are in college! My parents and sister also came along for the ride, making my job even more enjoyable! A few fun facts about myself, I have hand-numbered copies of every Official Serigraph Poster since Balloon Fiesta brought the production in-house in 2006 and I am a lover of all things Disney, I even try to visit Disneyland once a year!



Rapid fire with Lisa:

Time your Day Starts during Balloon Fiesta: My merchandise tents open on the field at 5 am so I am usually there by 4. We work until 11 am, returning at 3 PM on the double session days. That doesn't mean I get a break during the day as my time usually involves moving merchandise between our sales locations, restocking items, checking on the gift shop operations, and fulfilling online orders.

Favorite Spot on the Field to Watch the Balloons: I wish I could say I have time to explore and watch the balloons but that usually doesn't happen. I do try to remind myself a couple of times each event, to stop, take a breath, and watch the beautiful display of color for at least a few minutes. It helps to remind me why I do what I do for the Balloon Fiesta and what a spectacular event this is.

Current Favorite Special Shape Balloon: I enjoy all of the shape balloons, but I really enjoy seeing the brand-new designs come to life each year.

Inside the Basket

The phrase “it takes a village” comes to mind when creating a successful Balloon Fiesta event. Each year, hundreds of Navigators volunteer their time to guide guests and ensure a great event experience.

In this month’s Inside the Basket, we hear from Kyle McConahy, an Albuquerque native, who has been involved with Balloon Fiesta as a Navigator for many years.

June in Ballooning

On June 5^th, 2024, Balloon Fiesta celebrated National Hot Air Balloon Day! This day commemorates the day Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier gave a public demonstration of an unmanned hot air balloon flight on June 5, 1783, in France. This experiment by the Montgolfier brothers led to a test flight in November 1783.

June 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 Second Place Winner, Adam Eccleston.

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

• Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta comes in first on Technabob's list of "Hidden Travel Gems: 15 Low-Key Cities Every Needs to Visit"
• Visit Albuquerque highlights Balloon Fiesta as an "Accessible Albuquerque" Wheelchair-friendly experience
• Global Travel USA highlights the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta as an unmatched destination for hot air balloon experiences

Sponsor Spotlight

Krispy Kreme has grown its business to over 42 shops located throughout the Western United States in Utah, Idaho, California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. While Krispy Kreme has only been making doughnuts in New Mexico for 15 years since the first shop operated by WKS opened in Albuquerque in 2009, they have been making great doughnuts – millions of them – for more than 86 years. The most popular and well-known doughnut is the fresh, hot off the line – Original Glaze. The 52^nd event marks 13 years for Krispy Kreme as the sponsor of the “Krispy Kreme Morning Glow” since 2011. Along with their sponsorship of the morning glow, Krispy Kreme has a sponsorship balloon and a booth on Main Street where they sell fresh doughnuts and coffee to the locals and visiting fans from all over the world. Krispy Kreme has always looked for ways to support the local community and to raise awareness about its presence in the Land of Enchantment. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® was the first event they ever participated in and they discovered doughnuts and balloon rides in October are the perfect pair. Krispy Kreme loves the opportunity to meet interesting people from all around the world each year and hear the exciting experiences about and around their favorite thing, doughnuts! We thank them for their support!

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