For more than three decades, guests from all over the world come to Albuquerque to celebrate ballooning at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. This year’s event, October6-14, 2012, marks its 41st anniversary.

The New Mexico skies are painted as hundreds of balloons lift off from Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park. Nothing rivals the power of Mass Ascension on crisp early mornings as these graceful giants leave the ground to take their place in the cerulean desert sky. For ballooning fans worldwide, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a pilgrimage. There's something for everyone to enjoy . . . whimsical special shapes filled with equal parts of hot air and wonder, and Balloon Glows that create a magical night landscape for spectators to wander. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will leave you awestruck and wanting more.

From its modest beginnings in 1972 with 13 balloons launching from a shopping mall parking lot, the Balloon Fiesta has grown to multiple events launching year-round at the custom-designed, 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park. The signature event remains Balloon Fiesta—which, with over 600 balloons, is the largest ballooning event on earth, the most photographed event on earth, and the largest annual international event held in the United States.

Balloon Fiesta Park is located north of Alameda Boulevard, one mile west of I-25.

The annual White Sands Hot Air Balloon Invitational always takes place on a weekend in September.

The Hot Air Balloon Invitational grows more and more popular each year.

The location is surreal in itself and when you add scores of colorful flying balloons, you have the White Sands Balloon Invitational at White Sands National Monument and the Alamogordo Balloon Park. There's also a balloon glow held each night at Alamogordo High School.

The event begins right at sunrise and lasts until the balloons come down, usually 3 hours. There is a Balloon Glow at our local High School, Alamogordo High School, that takes place 30 minutes after sundown, usually 7:30 pm. Admission for the Balloon Glow is FREE.

The morning lift-offs you can reach best by going to White Sands National Monument. You have to take your own vehicle. White Sands Blvd., in Alamogordo, head South and follow the road when it turns to Hwy 70. This will lead you to White Sands National Monument.

Admittance to the balloon glow is free, while the only charge to attend the event at White Sands National Monument is the normal admittance fee ($3 per person ages 17 and older).

This popular event coincides with the Tularosa Basin Wine and Music Fest, in Alameda Park in Alamogordo, with live music, New Mexico wine samples, artists and vendors, as well as food and fun. Visit http://www.tularosabasinwinefest.com/

More than 200 balloons from across the country will take to the skies for the annual Red Rock Balloon Rally near Gallup.

Frequently described as a balloonist's paradise, a highly prized invitation to this event - the second largest balloon event in the world - offers pilots the opportunity to compete for fine Native American Arts and crafts. You'll want to have your camera ready as these rainbow colored giants come to life.

The Red Rocks are the cemented sands of a fossilized beach, colored by dissolved iron seeping down from more recent volcanic activity, and then worn smooth by Anasazi residents who carved hand and toe holds into the walls to reach the mesa tops. Now, adventure-seeking balloonists soar above the magnificent canyons where movie producers still film Western epics. This is the only ballooning event where spectators are encouraged to become active participants by joining balloon chase crews. The Red Rock Balloon Rally partners with many area service organizations to help provide funding for local service activities.