Save The Date

Join us October 4-12, 2025 for the 53^rd ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Balloon Fiesta Insider

The 52^nd Balloon Fiesta was a great success! We welcomed guests from around the world and celebrated nine days of hot air ballooning. Over 500 balloons representing 16 countries took off from Balloon Fiesta Park each morning, and we saw the ‘Albuquerque Box’ weather phenomenon in full effect on several occasions. The Balloon Fiesta Staff is grateful for the support of our pilots, sponsors, volunteers, and guests, and we hope that you had just as great of time as we did! Thank you for coming!

Missing something after returning home from Balloon Fiesta? All found items have been sent to Balloon Fiesta’s main office, located at 4401 Alameda Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113. Balloon Fiesta’s office is open Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT. For more information, please call 505-821-1000.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2024 – Final Event Numbers

Final Numbers: Following are the official numbers for the 52^nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta held October 5-13, 2024

• Total number of registered hot air balloons: 551
• Total number of registered special shape balloons: 106 (11 new to Balloon Fiesta)
• Total number of registered pilots (primary and additional): 667
• Total number of remote-control balloons: 77
• Total number of estimated guest visits: 838,337
• Total number of media organizations: 110
• Total number of registered media representatives: 794
• Total number of views on Balloon Fiesta Live: 1,061,191

Participating countries: 16

Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, North Macedonia (first time), Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.

Participating states: 45

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Event Sessions: All of the 14 sessions occurred. There were no cancelations or rainchecks.

Navigators: 1,070 Navigators volunteered during this year’s event. Navigators (not including chase crew) are volunteers who provide guest services, administrative services, balloon coordination and safety, set-up and logistics, and more in over 40 different areas.

Additional information about the 2024 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta can be found at www.balloonfiesta.com. The 53^rd ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will be held October 4-12, 2025.

Cindy Petrehn Memorial Photo Contest

Each year we welcome hundreds of guests who take remarkable pictures of the event! Submit your best photo to the Cindy Petrehn Memorial Photo contest. The deadline is quickly approaching as submissions for the 52^nd Balloon Fiesta will be accepted through October 31, 2024.

We want to see your best shots in the following categories:

• Faces of Fiesta
• Dawn Patrol/Balloon Glow
• Mass Ascension
• Special Shapes
• AfterGlow Fireworks
• Digital/AI Art (not eligible for the Grand Prize)

The Grand Prize winner will receive $1,000. Entries must be submitted online and into one of six categories. Learn more, here: https://balloonfiesta.com/Photo-Contest-Rules

Merchandise Update

Thank you to each and every one of you who purchased a piece of Balloon Fiesta to take home with you, while at the event! The Official Merchandise tents and Gift Shop were buzzing with activity from open to closing, every day. Merchandise from the event that was not sold on the field is making its way back up to the gift shop and online store. So, keep an eye out for these items to appear on balloonfiestastuff.com in the coming weeks. Additionally, new items for the holidays will also be making their way to Balloon Fiesta’s Gift Shop. For the inside scoop on these holiday items and other Balloon Fiesta merchandise, keep an eye out on our weekly blog, What’s Up Wednesday, on Balloonfiestastuff.com 

Inside the Basket

Each year, Balloon Fiesta welcomes and works with members of the media during the event from all media platforms including broadcast, print, photography and digital media. These members embark on the exciting challenge of showcasing the vibrant colors, dynamic movements, and magical moments that define this iconic event.

In this edition of Inside the Basket, we hear from Becky Wood, a social media influencer and travel blogger. Becky shares her journey, insights, and the unique experiences that come with showcasing the world's premier ballooning event with the world.

This Month in Ballooning

During the 52^nd event, hot air balloon pilots competed in five competition tasks including the Fly-in task, Judge-Declared Goal, Multiple Judge-Declared Goal, Minimum Distance Double Drop, and the Gordon Bennet Memorial Drop. All competitions are based on flying accuracy rather than speed. The overall winner of the 52^nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta competition is pilot Cody Robinson of the Grand Banana Balloon. See all 2024 competition results here.

Photo-of-the-Month

We have received some beautiful pictures of this year's events, submitted through Balloon Fiesta's social media! Below is the photo chosen for October. Thank you to Facebook user Jennifer Danielle!

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 Balloon Fiesta’s latest media coverage

• USA Today Highlights Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Watch hundreds of hot air balloons take over Western skies for massive Balloon Fiesta
• Time News Global showcases Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2024: Special Shape Rodeo and Exciting Events
• Thrillist highlights the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in  The Biggest Balloon Festival in the World Is Going Down—or Up, Rather—in Albuquerque
• Euro News showcases the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Balloon Fiesta hot air balloons flood Albuquerque

Sponsor Spotlight

Thank you to all our sponsors of the 52^nd Balloon Fiesta®! The success of this year’s event is largely in part because of you! We hope that you enjoyed the exposure of your brand to the hundreds of thousands of guests at the event. We look forward to working with you again for the 53^rd Balloon Fiesta. If you would like information on sponsorship opportunities for the 53^rd event, please contact Stephanie Prendergast at sprendergast@balloonfiesta.com.

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