The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning event in the world and one of the most photographed. Each October, more than half a million people gather before dawn to watch hundreds of hot air balloons rise into the New Mexico sky.

In this episode of Event Explorer, host Daniel Roth is joined by Tom Garrity, founder and president of The Garrity Group and one of the Fiesta’s best representatives for nearly three decades. Together they explore the history of the event, what it takes to launch 500 balloons each morning, the role of volunteers and chase crews, and why breakfast burritos are as much a tradition as the balloons themselves.

If you’re planning to go, the 2025 Balloon Fiesta runs October 4–12, with October 3–11, 2026 already on the calendar. Details at balloonfiesta.com.