2019 Balloon Fiesta

The transition from summer to fall in New Mexico is heralded by many things - the smell of chiles roasting, the turning of the cottonwoods and aspens, and of course the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

During the first full week of October, the Balloon Fiesta draws in over 860,000 visitors to watch as over 500 balloons from 43 different nations take off in the spectacle of the Mass Ascension. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen it - that many hot air balloons rising into the misty morning air is always magical.

I always tell visitors that they have to take a morning to visit Balloon Fiesta Park and watch up-close and personal as the pilots take off one after another. I then follow that recommendation with another - after one morning of dealing with crowds, traffic, more traffic, parking, and over-priced hot beverages, take in the Balloon Fiesta from a different perspective. Our Splash ‘n’ Dash SUP tours on the Rio Grande whisk you away to the Rio Grande Bosque. Away from the traffic, away from the crowds, and headed down river on a collision course like you’ve never experienced.

This year we were so happy to share this experience with 79 other people throughout the week. Our small group size lets us as guides work individually with you to make sure that you are having the best time possible. Instead of being herded down river, we like to take the time to paddle with our guests and get to know them personally. While we know that the most important thing you’ll remember is that feeling of paddling around a bend to see 100 balloons in the air, we also really enjoy it when we run into you in the grocery store and you remember our faces!

Of course, fall in New Mexico also means some pretty dramatic swings in temperature and weather. Winds can vary from day to day giving us the time of our lives one day and preventing balloons from launching the next. Those chilly, misty mornings are what helps put the “Adventure” in MST Adventures!

Fun is always our goal, and we recognize that having fun has some prerequisites - safety and comfort. Our trained staff, high quality equipment, and safety gear take care of the safety component for you. Detailed instructions and recommendations sent before your tour and lots of extra clothes, hand-warmers, and other conveniences keep you comfortable.

And by comfortable, I mean - toasty warm, dry, and making s’mores on the river side while drinking a fresh cup of coffee comfortable!

While this year’s wind patterns didn’t result in as many high-fives from balloon pilots as we’ve had in the past it still goes down in our books as one of the best Balloon Fiestas yet! After all, it’s not every day you get to share a mimosa with the balloon that landed on the sandbar next to you!

This year’s Balloon Fiesta has been a great success and we owe it all to you - our guests, readers, and supporters. Without you we wouldn’t be here. Thanks again for all of your support. We look forward to a great rest of the year paddling and camping, and we can’t wait until snowshoeing kicks off in a few months!