Albuquerque, New Mexico is home to the International Balloon Fiesta, the largest hot air balloon event in the world. Knowing this was on our itinerary, we launched a Chinese Lantern to help the kids understand how hot air balloons work.

Deciphering the instructions proved more complicated than we expected until we finally realized that there was a component missing. The second set worked great and the balloon was off. The kids noticed how the flame caused the paper balloon to expand and rise and rise and rise…we were surprised at how high it goes.

The kids were able to make great connections between the Chinese Lantern and the Hot Air Balloons, but seeing 100 hot air balloons take off around us was such a grander scale than our experience at home.

Teamwork makes the Dreamwork

The Fiesta Park is laid out like a grid and balloon teams work together to lay out the envelope (balloon) in their designated area. Then they light the burner to fill it and use ropes to position everything in place. It takes many people to weigh the balloon down until they have the green light from the referees to launch.

The warmth of the burner blasts felt amazing against the crisp desert morning air as we watched the teams at work. At one point, a team member walked over to my son and offered him a card. What was this? Game changer!

Each balloon has a card similar to a baseball card- picture on the front and stats on the back (date created, country of origin, past launches, etc.). As if on a treasure hunt, my adventurous boys were suddenly on a mission to collect cards from as many balloons as possible, especially their favorites: Tails, Yoda, and a giant cow.

Balloon Discovery Center

Taking a break from card collecting, we walked to the area of Fiesta Park with Chainsaw Carving, an artisan market, and the Balloon Discovery Center. The educational Balloon Discovery Center had interactive exhibits showcasing a hot air balloon simulator, wicker basket-weaving, and demonstrations of the wind patterns that keep hot air balloons in the air. One activity reinforced what we’d learned about the Albuquerque Box effect.

The Albuquerque Box

The unique geography and wind patterns of Albuquerque make it the perfect destination for this festival. We watched a short video about the Albuquerque Box from the Weather Channel and learned that the balloons are able to rise from the park, connect with the lower altitude northerly winds then meet up with the southerly winds as they rise out of the valley. With this cycle, they are able to depart and return to the same place!

Tips for Visiting the Fiesta

1. Get there early (5:00-6:00am)
2. Bring layers (it’s cold before sunrise)
3. Wear sneakers (the park is enormous!)
4. To avoid crowds and traffic aim for Mon-Thurs

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Our kids made connections between the Chinese Lantern at home and the Hot Air Balloons at this huge event. What are models that you can create at home that prepare your kids to understand how something works in a place you’ll visit?