Last week saw the 47th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta go off without a hitch.
Crowds from around the world gathered in New Mexico once again to attend what is the world’s largest balloon festival. The bright blue skies of Albuquerque made the perfect backdrop for a nine-day festival in the skies.
The theme of this year’s bonanza was ‘carry me away’, and balloonists certainly let their imaginations run wild with it. Crowds of over 800,000 people gathered to watch as over 500 balloons took to the skies every day in an impressive array of flying skills and aerial acrobatics.
A highlight of the festival was the Special Shaped Glowdeo, accompanied by skydivers and a laser light show. Special shaped balloons included clowns, cacti, and animals, including seahorses, seals, and penguins. The event culminated in a glorious fireworks display. An evening balloon glow, where balloons fire their burners to create a magical night time aerial display topped off the event.
Canberra in Australia, Putrajaya in Malaysia, and Gilboa in Israel are just some of the places that also host world-renowned hot air balloon festivals.
Hot air balloon rides are always popular and thrilling experiences, but you don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to get your own taste of how spectacular these are. Closer to home, we are proud to offer hot air balloon trips in Gloucester, Bath, Bristol and other cities in the South West.
