Save The Date

Join us October 7-15, 2023, for the 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta powered by ExxonMobil in Albuquerque, New Mexico. More information will become available at www.balloonfiesta.com in the coming weeks. Plan ahead - The 52nd Balloon Fiesta is scheduled to take place October 5-13, 2024.

Balloon Fiesta Insider

Did you know that each year, Balloon Fiesta has a theme? The theme for the 51^st event is “A View From Above.” You’ll find this theme reflected in the merchandise and the printed and digital artwork for the event, scheduled to take place October 7-15, 2023. Ready to start planning your trip to celebrate “A View From Above?” Updated information will be available on Balloon Fiesta’s website, www.balloonfiesta.com, by December 1, 2022.

Merchandise Update

Attention Balloon Fiesta Stuff Fans, the December Sale is back!!

The annual sale where we put all our excess inventory on sale returns with a twist this year. Instead of trying to pack hundreds of New Mexicans into our small shop area for a few hours, we’re going to open up the sale to world. Yes, the December sale will be totally online. Here’s the game plan. We’ll shut down the gift shop and online store at noon on Friday, Dec 9, in order to “move” all the sale items online and mark them down. When we finish that task, the online store will reopen and the shopping can begin. We’ll leave the online store open until 8am Monday Dec 12, when we’ll shut down the online store for a couple of hours to regroup and restock the gift shop. We will re-open online as soon as possible and the gift shop will reopen on Tuesday at 8am. Because we haven’t done a December sale is a few years, and some things are different, here are a few things to keep in mind.

• The sale period is actually being extended, starting Friday night and continuing until Monday morning.
• The sale is now available to people everywhere, not just in Albuquerque. Which also means there will be more people shopping and with less inventory that in years past you’ll want to shop early.
• We know you like to try on clothing. That’s not going to be possible this year. However, if you’re in the area, stop by BEFORE the sale and check on sizing. We will also try to give you an idea of how the sizing runs in each product description.
• You may want to visit the online store now to create your account. That will save you a little bit of time so you can checkout quicker and secure those items you want.
• We also know you like taking all that stuff home that weekend. While you won’t have instant gratification, you can choose shipping or free local pickup. While the shop will be closed from Noon Friday until Tuesday morning, we’ll be working to process these online orders as quickly as possible. So once your order is placed, watch your email for the “Ready for Pickup” notice with instructions and hours for when you can pick up your order. If you choose the shipping option, watch for the “Your Order Has Shipped” email with the tracking number(s). We hope to be able to ship the weekend orders by Wednesday that week. 

We hope these changes will make more great Balloon Fiesta Stuff available to everyone.

We want to hear from you!

Tell us about the merchandise you bought this year and help select what merchandise will be available in 2023 and beyond. Take this quick 3-minute survey to tell us your thoughts on the merchandise available from BalloonFiestaStuff.com. The survey will close on December 7, 2022.

Click here to take the survey. https://www.cognitoforms.com/Aibf1/_2022ProductSurvey

Inside the Basket

As Balloon Fiesta’s Assistant Merchandise Manager, Chani Kaibetoney helps to bring to life, the fun merchandise items that commemorate the event.

In this month’s Inside the Basket, she shares more about how she became involved with Balloon Fiesta, the most challenging aspect of her job and insight on her favorite items.

November in Ballooning

On November 25, 1996, Per Axel Lindstrand set the altitude world record for eight different types of balloons, including AM-13, AM-08 and AM-12. Lindstrand launched in Reno, Nevada and flew to a height of 34,740 feet. This record is no longer standing.  

November Photo-of-the-Month

We have received some beautiful pictures of past years’ events, submitted through Balloon Fiesta’s social media! Below is the photo chosen for November. Thank you to Facebook user Nguyen Ngoc Phuong.

Read all about it

Check out the latest media coverage about Balloon Fiesta

• MSN answers When Did Breakfast Burritos First Become A Thing? And includes Balloon Fiesta as part of its history
• U.S. News & World Report highlights that Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Saw More Than 820,000 Visitors

Sponsor Spotlight

Looking for an opportunity to showcase your brand to guests and media from around the world? Look no further! Find great brand exposure at Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest hot air balloon event. In fact, during the 50th Balloon Fiesta, there were an estimated 828,800 guest-visits and 775 media representatives from 158 different media organizations. With sponsorships ranging from balloon banners to opportunities to host employees, clients and associates during the event, Balloon Fiesta is sure to find an opportunity that works best for you. For more information,visit https://balloonfiesta.com/Sponsorship-Opportunities  or reach out to Stephanie Prendergast at sponsorship@balloonfiesta.com.