Balloon Fiesta Midweek Guide: Wednesday Mass Ascension Is the Weekday Highlight
The 54th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta moves into its midweek stretch Oct. 5-9, according to the event's published schedule. Monday, Oct. 5, is New Mexico Day; Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 6-7, are morning-only sessions with no evening glow events, each opening with the Dawn Patrol followed by balloon launches at 7 a.m.
For visitors who want the full mass ascension without weekend crowds, Wednesday morning, Oct. 7, is the pick: it is one of only three mass ascension mornings outside the two weekends, with more than 500 balloons launching in two waves between roughly 7 and 9 a.m. at noticeably more manageable attendance levels.
Practical notes: gates open at 4:30 a.m.; general admission is $20 per session with children 12 and under free; Park & Ride shuttles do not run Monday through Wednesday, so drivers should allow extra time, and everyone should dress for near-freezing dawn temperatures on dewy grass. The Special Shape Rodeo and evening Glowdeo return on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Special-shape balloons are the fiesta's other signature: Thursday's returning Special Shape Rodeo gathers the most outlandish designs of the year, from animals to cartoon figures and brand shapes. The festival's back half also features the Thomas Rhett concert on Oct. 9 and a closing mass ascension on the morning of Oct. 11.
Photo: 热气球节晚间灯光秀实景，CC BY 2.0（Wikimedia Commons，摄影：Anita Ritenour）
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 热气球节晚间灯光秀实景，CC BY 2.0（Wikimedia Commons，摄影：Anita Ritenour）
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