City: Albuquerque, NM

Category: Spectator Sports

Telephone: (505) 821-1000, (888) 422-7277

Description: The big ballooning event for spectators is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, for nine days each October, starting on the first Saturday of the month. If you have never considered the serene art of ballooning to be a competitive sport, try watching the Key Grab race, where pilots try to beat hundreds of other hot-air balloons flying from the start point a mile away, back to Balloon Fiesta Park to grab their prize by hand from the top of a tall pole. Aerial poker and Black Jack are just two of the fiesta competitions to test the pilots’ precision flying skills, giving a whole other meaning to the phrase “aces high.” The America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race is the equivalent of the marathon for the hardy pilots competing to fly the farthest distance from Balloon Fiesta Park. Be warned that you won’t see the finish of this race; the winners typically fly for three nights or more, covering 1,000 miles before they land. See the listing and the Close-up in the Annual Festivals and Events chapter for full details on the balloon fiesta.