Daily Mail - 46th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta kicks off with crazy inflatable giants and upped security following Las Vegas mass shooting

December 13, 2018

The 46th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta began this Saturday and is expected to draw close to a million visitors to central New Mexico.

The 2017 festival features about 500 traditional hot air balloons and 94 balloons that are shaped to make them look like bees, Elvis Presley, Smokey the Bear and others.

This year's balloon festival theme is 'Inflate your Imagination.' The fiesta's morning mass ascensions launch this weekend, Wednesday and the weekend of October 14-15.