BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THE BALLOON FIESTA WILL BE UPON US AGAIN IN ALBUQUERQUE. THE 42ND ANNUAL EVENT STARTS A WEEK FROM SATURDAY. SPOKESMAN TOM GARRITY TELLS 770 KKOB THE SUCCESS OF THE EVENT ISN'T NECESSARILY MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING. IN FACT, HE SAYS THEY DON'T LOOK FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO GET ONTO THE LAUNCH FIELD, BUT FOR THE NUMBER OF SAFE FLYING DAYS. THE IDEAL SITUATION IS TO HAVE 100 PERCENT FLYING DAYS DURING THE FIESTA.
GARRITY SAYS THIS YEAR'S FIESTA WILL FEATURE 554 PILOTS FROM THE U.S. AND 19 OTHER COUNTRIES. THERE WILL ALSO BE FIVE TEAMS COMPETING IN THE "AMERICA'S CHALLENGE" GAS BALLOON RACE.
