Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Announces 2022 Special Shapes

September 19, 2022

Albuquerque, NM - The 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will host international special shape balloon teams as a part of the world’s premier balloon event, October 1-9. This year’s event will include 118 special shape balloons representing 11 countries; 19 of those shapes will make their first Balloon Fiesta appearance.

Special shape hot air balloons (and home country) making their inaugural appearance at Balloon Fiesta include:

In addition to these new balloons, many Balloon Fiesta Special Shape favorites will also be making a return. These include Airabelle, The Creamland Cow of Canada; Darth Vader of the United States; and Pigasus of the United States. Here is a full list of returning special shape balloons: https://balloonfiesta.com/Post/2022-Special-Shapes

While many of the special shapes will be flying throughout the event, Balloon Fiesta has several events featuring special shape balloons. The Special Shape Rodeo™ (morning) and Glowdeo™ (evening) events will take place Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7.

Special Shape History

Organized special shape balloon events first started as afternoon flying events. The morning special shape events didn’t start until a few years after the first, afternoon launch.

The first Balloon Fiesta special shape event launched in 1989. Twenty-eight shape balloons launched to the Albuquerque skies on Thursday and Friday of the event, it was a huge success! The event’s popularity grew each year with 35 shapes in 1990, 45 shapes in 1991, 62 shapes in 1992 and 108 shapes in 1996. The 2022 event will include 118 special shape balloons.

Special Shape balloons started their official morning launches in 1993 with a Thursday launch. By 1998, Special Shapes were so popular that they were the only balloons to launch from the field on Thursday and Friday mornings and glow from the field on the same evenings.

More information on Special Shapes at Balloon Fiesta can be found, here: https://balloonfiesta.com/Special-Shape.

About the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is an annual festival of hot air balloons that takes place every October in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It is the largest gathering of balloons and balloonists in the world. The 2019 event generated $186.82 Million into the Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico economies. For details on events, schedule, entertainment and photographs visit our website www.balloonfiesta.com and follow us on Twitter @BalloonFiesta and Facebook.

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