A Letter From Balloon Fiesta's President and Executive Director

As always, safety is our top concern and as we prepare for the 49th Balloon Fiesta, the safety and health of our pilots, volunteers, staff, guests and community is Balloon Fiesta's top priority. We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and New Mexico Department of Health regarding the spread of the virus. Like you, we are hopeful this virus and its impacts are remediated quickly for everyone.

Planning for the 2020 Balloon Fiesta continues. Fortunately, with our event scheduled for October we have the opportunity to observe, adapt and implement best practices for events like ours.

With our focus on October, here are a few quick updates about the planning for the 2020 Balloon Fiesta.

• Our pilot applications remain on track with previous years. So far, we have 587 applications, which includes 113 special shape balloons! This is consistent with previous years, if not slightly more than we've seen in the past.

• April 3rd marks the day our tickets will go on sale on-line, as scheduled.

• In partnership with Albuquerque radio station KRST, we will announce our 2020 Music Fiesta lineup March 30. Look for a special edition of our newsletter with additional details.

We are humbled and grateful for your continued support during this time.

Sincerely,

Matt Guthrie, President, Board of Directors

Paul Smith, Executive Director