Guest Event Update

Balloon Fiesta Guests and Supporters,

We are only four months away from this year’s Balloon Fiesta! As you make your plans to visit us this year, keep in mind all aspects of our event, including offerings like Music Fiesta and back for the second year, Glamping. Make sure to follow our social media channels and newsletter for regular event updates.

Our staff and board of directors are busy making sure the 48^th Balloon Fiesta is fun, safe and memorable for all. In addition to working with more than 500 hot air balloon pilots from around the world, we are also excited to soon announce the all-star, international lineup for the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race. While the balloons are always the stars of the show, we realize that many different aspects of our event make for a successful guest experience. Here is a quick update on things we’ve been working on the past 60 days to make sure that experience is the best it can be:

Park & Ride Ticket Sales: Walk-up Park & Ride purchases will no longer be available; tickets will be available for online purchase only. This will help to increase the efficiency of lines and bus loading times. There will still be guest service representatives at all Park & Ride locations to answer guest questions and help with any ticketing issues.

Park & Ride Location Upgrades: The lots at Cottonwood and Coronado Malls have been reorganized, making room for more buses and faster loading times. There will also be more trashcans and porta potties available to guests.

Park & Ride Check-in Times: Check-in times at Park & Ride locations will now be separated into two waves. Guests can purchase tickets for the 4:00 a.m. wave or 5:30 a.m. wave (3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. for afternoon events). This will make for a smoother, less congested loading process. We’ve also moved the initial morning load time from 4:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., allowing for an earlier arrival time.

Park & Ride Loading at Balloon Fiesta Park: We are working to organize an additional area for guests to access Park & Ride busses at Balloon Fiesta Park. Having two, instead of one loading area enables us to double the number of buses that can be loaded at one time, hopefully resulting in shorter lines and faster load times.

We are continuing our work with the Traffic Department of the University of New Mexico Civil Engineering Department and look forward to sharing more from their study soon. We are also exploring several options to add more parking at Balloon Fiesta Park. There is still a lot of work to be done and we will continue to update you about all the positive changes taking place. Look out for our next guest update in 60 days.

If you’re interested in being a part of this amazing event, we encourage you to apply to be a volunteer. We are always looking for more helping hands, smiling faces and new ideas. Visit our website for more information about becoming a Balloon Fiesta Navigator.

Thank you for your support, we look forward to seeing you in October!