Inside the Basket - Kyle McConahy, Balloon Fiesta Navigator

June 13, 2024

The phrase “it takes a village” comes to mind when creating a successful Balloon Fiesta event. Each year, hundreds of Navigators volunteer their time to guide guests and ensure a great event experience.

In this month’s Inside the Basket, we hear from Kyle McConahy, an Albuquerque native, who has been involved with Balloon Fiesta as a Navigator for many years.

1. Please provide a brief overview of your background and experience with Balloon Fiesta.

I was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM and have always loved hot air balloons. At age 13 I decided it was time to be a part of my favorite annual event. I have volunteered in a few different areas at Balloon Fiesta, I first started in the Merchandise team and would volunteer my time on the days that school wasn’t in session. It would involve either making spreadsheets, counting pins and other product for distribution between the on-field gift shops, during the event I would assist the merchandise manager with whatever tasks arose, usually restocking the on-field gift shops. In 2018 I began working with the Media Hospitality team in their tent. That role could vary day to day, where you maybe escorting around a world-renowned photographer one day and assisting the Garrity Group with press conference set up the next. You truly never know who you may meet or what you may be working on in the media team and that spontaneity keeps me coming back year after year.

2. What is a Navigator at Balloon Fiesta? How many years have you been a Navigator, and what is your favorite part about the role?

Navigators are the heart of the event; they are an all-volunteer team from all over the world that come together to help launch the world’s largest ballooning event. I have been a Navigator for about 12 years now. My favorite part of being a Navigator is the lead up to the first official flying event, the Navigators are one big family and sometimes our annual pilgrimage in October is the only time we see that “part” of the family and getting to see those family members year after year is my favorite part. Balloon Fiesta has assembled an immensely talented and diverse Volunteer base from all over the world and getting to see friends from overseas or even a state or two over from NM is the crowning highlight each year for me. Typically, all of the volunteers will be ready for work no later than the Friday before Balloon Fiesta starts so it’s great to see them and catch up before the real party begins at O’ dark thirty on Saturday morning. Having been born and raised in Albuquerque, NM I feel that locals are so used to seeing hot air balloons in our backyard year-round, that we take advantage of that and don’t always appreciate the awe and wonder that is hot air ballooning. So getting to see so many travelers and first timers’ facial expressions when they finally see the Big One keeps me coming back so that I can share what my hometown is known for hopefully many years to come.

3. What is your favorite Balloon Fiesta memory?

I have several having been around for a while but the one that stands out to me was in 2014 I was able to light the fireworks show off. It was such an amazing experience standing in the fireworks pit and to be able to actually ignite the fuse of a firework. I had worked with Mike Garcia who was on the fireworks team at the time and he had tied several shells together for me Once the fuse was lit, we were instructed to cover our face and remain crouched to the ground until we heard the pop above us, however I didn’t fully understand just how fast those fuses burn, and the shell shot out of the launch tube before I could get my face covered. No one was harmed in anyway and it was an experience I would absolutely do again. To see the shell launch up out of the tube and into the sky to then explode into the beloved evening fireworks show remains one of my favorite things to have seen from a perspective not too many get the chance to take in. The firework I was able to light was called a Ballyhoo, which is the first fireworks shot that goes off roughly 15 minutes prior to the start of the full show, at the time I was told it was to signal to our traffic team to flip traffic to outbound only and prepare for the evening’s events to conclude, so it was cool to learn a new behind the scene’s process.

4. What is your favorite/most prized piece of Balloon Fiesta merchandise?

Well, that is a tough question to ask because my collection is always growing, but my favorite or most prized item of Balloon Fiesta merchandise has to be the pin set from 2004 that when put together forms an actual hot air balloon. I got this pin set from another volunteer in the merchandise department and that really sparked my drive to collect them all as this was my first set ever given to me. That same volunteer actually took me under his wing and educated me about pin collecting at Balloon Fiesta and I continue to use his expertise year after year.

5. What advice would you give to a first-time guest at the event?

The advice I would give to a first-time attendee would be to dress in layers and make sure you have enough photo storage on your phone because you are going to see something that no other city can replicate at least on this scale but also to take a moment away from the digital era and embrace what you’re seeing and really be there in that moment, take in the sights, the sounds and the smell of green chile that wafts over from concession row. It will be an experience like no other.