Ballooning Capital of the World – Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Hot Air and Gas Balloons

albuquerque new mexico usa ballooning capital of the world

Model of the Montgolfier brothers balloon in the London Science Museum England

up view at a beautiful green hot air balloon

Welcome to the Ballooning Capital of the World

We would like to welcome you to the Ballooning Capital of the World web site. The Ballooning Capital is located in the greater Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the world’s largest hot air balloon festival and takes place each October. During the balloon festival you will see literally hundreds of balloons. The event is considered to be the most photographed event in the world. Guests of the event are allowed to mingle amongst the balloons and possibly even to help the crews.

There are more resident hot air balloonists in the local area than anywhere else in the world. The ideal conditions and the growth of the sport have attracted many people to the Albuquerque area. Hardly a day goes by without a balloon launch, weather permitting.

Albuquerque has a unique climatological feature called the “box”. The Sandia Mountain to the east blocks the sun from heating the ground, and as a result, the air near the ground is cooler and flows to the south, and 600-700 feet up, the warmer air flows to the north, allowing the balloon pilot to launch and land in nearly the same spot, if not in fact, the same spot.

hot air balooning festival skimming over water

Another great activity is called balloon glow. This is the glow from the balloon when the hot propane-powered flames light up the balloon, and because of the balloon’s size, can be seen from a long distance. Several times during the year there are actual balloon glow events during which the balloons are on display, but aren’t launched.

This web site has been created to tell the world about what is going on here and we welcome your comments and pictures. Our host is a photographer so there will be many unique photos not found elsewhere plus photos contributed by other photographers.

Thanks for stopping by and we hope to see you back again!

Please click the links below for our ballooing blog, the photo gallery, or links to friends and associates

click here for ballooning photos and videos

wonderful stripped hot air balloon photo

rainbow colored hot air balloon floating in the sky picture

pix of a checkerboard hot air balloon against the sky

up view of a lovely stripped hot air balloon

This web site is not officially affiliated with any of the organizations mentioned here and are mentioned for promotional purposes. Our thanks to Link Up Hosting for providing web design and hosting services for this web site and Weather Rio Rancho for local, current, and accurate weather information needed by the balloonists.