Where does the world's largest balloon festival take place?

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly festival of hot air balloons that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico during early October. This Balloon Fiesta is a nine day event in the U.S., and has over 700 balloons each year. The event is the largest hot air balloon festival in the world.

Recognized as one of the top 20 hot air balloon events in the U.S., the nine day Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta featuring more than 700 incredible balloons originating from more than 50 countries has a number of popular special events including the Dawn Patrol showcasing balloon launches before sunrise, and the Mass Ascension when all of the participating balloons float up in two or three carefully coordinated waves. The most photographed event in the world, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a success largely because of the ideal weather patterns and geographic landscape that allow balloonists unwarranted control over their air crafts.

More Info: www.balloonfiesta.com

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38 Comments

ninakamwene

Guessed correctly. I would love to attend it one day. The balloons look so colorful, a festival of colors, and a feast for the eyes. Lovely. Thank you.

Bill-Gayle Wenrich

I live in Albuquerque and I am on a balloon chase crew, the Clutch crew.

Patty K

Ashland, Ohio, has a Balloonfest every summer. Only lasts 3 days with only 15 or so balloons, but I've seen some beautiful ones and some unusual ones. Once there was a purple monster-shaped one. It was the one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater!

mjbchloe

It used to be Indianola, IA , but they moved it to Albuquerque. The weather in the Midwest was the contributing factor for the move.

Chrissie

Brian Lethbridge, that's what I thought when I saw the question. Bristol, with "only" 130 balloons participating, is Europe's biggest, but not the world's biggest.