Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2023

Most of our interactions with the Balloon Fiesta proper were pretty dispiriting. We struggled through the traffic and the crowds and went down on Wednesday night, October 11th, to see the Glowdeo, but it was cancelled due to high winds. Instead we saw the drone light show (cool, but tacky, due to an emphasis on slot machines, due to being sponsored by Sandia Casino and Resort), plus fireworks. 

We went down again on Thursday night, after taking a nap, but we arrived too late, and saw just a few balloons lit up. We saw the drone light show and fireworks again. The festival grounds were like a state-fair concessions midway from hell. 

On Saturday morning, we wanted to see the Mass Ascension. We overslept, leaving the house at 5:50 a.m. for the 7:00 a.m. event. People recommend you arrive no later than 4 a.m. We were far too late. We were in a traffic jam for an hour, and when we arrived, all the parking lots were full. All we could do was park illegally, daring the cops to arrest us for blocking a route for emergency vehicles, and eventually, just chase balloons.