A balloon floats over Albuquerque. (Credit: gardener41)

If you live in Albuquerque, you may wake up early in the morning to strange sounds coming from outside. There may be a whoosh and a roar. Run to your porch and look up. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot one of the hundreds of balloons that have come to town to celebrate the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. They often float out across the city, sometimes landing in fields and sometimes in neighborhoods.

Known as the world’s most photographed event, Balloon Fiesta is a massive celebration of magnificent and colorful flying machines. They float gracefully through the Albuquerque sky, touch down near the cold waters of the Rio Grande, and light up the fields of Balloon Fiesta Park at night as anchored canopies glow in the dark.

Enjoying the Fiesta
The 2012 Balloon Fiesta starts on Saturday, October 6 and runs through October 14. Mass ascensions of hundreds of balloons at a time rise up in the early morning. Evening hours host balloon glows when anchored balloons light up brightly at night, but don’t lift off. There are plenty of food concessions featuring New Mexico specialties like breakfast burritos and green chile cheeseburgers.

Fiesta is all about the excitement of the balloons and the fun food, but there’s much more going on. The America’s Challenge long-distance gas balloon race launches on opening day on Saturday, October 6. These racing balloons look much different from the big balloons we’re used to seeing. There is a car show on Sunday, October 7 and chainsaw carving competitions. Keep an eye out for fireworks and special shapes days when the Fiesta’s most unusual participants inflate to show off their unique looks.

You will see these same colors on balloons at the Fiesta.

Capture the Fiesta Spirit at Peoples
What is most striking about the Balloon Fiesta is the sheer visual experience of seeing the balloons rise up into the morning sky with their bright colors and unusual shapes. What does it remind us of? A bouquet of flowers, of course! Stop into Peoples Flowers after your visit to the Fiesta and take home your favorite shades and hues from the day with a custom bouquet.

Share the exuberance of the festival with Spirit of Fall, an autumn-themed bouquet featuring daisies and roses in vivid oranges, reds, and yellows. Of course, you can also get literal about celebrating Balloon Fiesta and pick out your very own balloon bouquet. We have all sorts of colors available as well as messages for birthdays, births, and other celebrations.

Many Albuquerque residents host friends and relatives that have come in for this special event. Why not welcome them with a fresh bouquet that reflects the spirit of the Fiesta? Visit Peoples online at peoplesflowers.com or stop into any of our convenient Albuquerque shops. We get a kick out of sharing our love for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Happy ballooning!