THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA IS UNDERWAY THIS WEEKEND … WITH THE FIRST MASS ASCENSION AT 7 AM SATURDAY. SPOKESMAN TOM GARRITY TELLS 770 KKOB IT’S DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT ATTENDANCE WILL BE LIKE THIS YEAR. IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER.
GARRITY SAYS THE FIESTA HAD 848-THOUSAND VISITS LAST YEAR. BUT HE TELLS 770 KKOB ATTENDANCE NUMBERS AREN’T THEIR BIGGEST PRIORITY. HE SAYS THE SAFETY OF THE PILOTS IS THEIR MAIN FOCUS.
GARRITY SAYS THE FIESTA WILL FEATURE 550 PILOTS. AND, AGAIN THIS YEAR, “ALBUQUERQUE ALOFT” WAS THE UNOFFICIAL START OF THE FIESTA, WITH BALLOONS THAT LAUNCHED FROM DOZENS OF SCHOOLS ACROSS ALBUQUERQUE AND RIO RANCHO FRIDAY MORNING.
THE FIESTA WILL FEATURE MORE THAN 100 SPECIAL SHAPE BALLOONS, INCLUDING 17 NEW ONES. THERE WILL ALSO BE SEVEN ENTRANTS IN THE AMERICA’S CHALLENGE GAS BALLOON RACE SET FOR LAUNCH AT 6PM SATURDAY.
