🎈There's Nothing Like October in Albuquerque🎈

Hello and welcome to this month’s newsletter. Thanks so much for being here! There are certain things that immediately say Albuquerque. The Sandias turning watermelon pink at sunset. The smell of roasting green chile in the air. Farolitos/Luminarias glowing on Christmas Eve. And then there’s October, my favorite. When we look up and see hundreds of brightly colored balloons floating across our bright blue New Mexico sky.

I’ve talked about Balloon Fiesta before. The last couple of years I sent out a postcard with important Fall dates to remember, and I’ve certainly posted (more than) my fair share of photos on social media. But somehow after all this time, I’ve never devoted an entire newsletter to it. With Route 66 celebrating it’s 100th birthday this year and the 2026 Balloon Fiesta joining the celebration with the theme “The Scenic Route,” this seemed like the perfect year to finally change that. Because Balloon Fiesta isn’t simply something that happens in Albuquerque every October. It’s part of who we are.

It's almost hard to imagine, but the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta began in 1972 with just 13 balloons launching from the parking lot of Coronado Center as part of KOB’s 50th anniversary celebration. What happened next is one of those Albuquerque stories that plays out time and again. That little gathering grew. And grew. And grew. Today, Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning even in the world, welcoming hundreds of balloons and pilots to Albuquerque every October. What began in a shopping center parking lot now unfolds across 350 acres at Balloon Fiesta Park, drawing visitors from across the country and around the globe. This year, more than 500 balloons decorated our skies. Somehow, even at that scale, it still feels like ours.

s

Of course, no story about Balloon Fiesta would be complete without the Special Shapes Rodeo. First introduced in Albuquerque in 1989, it has grown into one of the most beloved traditions of the event. It’s easy to understand why! There’s something joyful about standing on the field surrounded by enormous flying animals, characters, food, and creations you never imagined could become a hot air balloon. Some are whimsical, some are intricate, and there are always a few that make you wonder how they get off the ground. Over the years, special shapes from around the world have become crowd favorites. Part of the fun is seeing which familiar faces return and what new ones appear. Kids love them, adults love them, and even after you’ve been to Balloon Fiesta countless times, it’s nearly impossible not to smile when one of those larger-than-life characters floats overhead. It’s a bit of imagination brought to life in the Albuquerque sky. And one of the things that makes our Fiesta unlike anything else.

And while most of us are watching the colorful hot air balloons fill the skies, another adventure is taking place. America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race, founded here in 1995, is one of the world's premier long-distance balloon races. Unlike the familiar hot air balloons, these balloons use lighter-than-air gas to stay aloft for days, traveling wherever the winds carry them. The goal is simple: whoever travels the farthest wins! Teams launch from Balloon Fiesta Park, often heading northeast across the Great Plains and Midwest, sometimes into Canada. Just how far can they go? In 2017, a Swiss team traveled an astonishing 2,281 miles from Albuquerque to Labrador, Canada, spending nearly 60 hours in the air! Imagine lifting off here and landing more than two days later on the other side of the continent. It's an incredible combination of skill, endurance, weather knowledge, and adventure. Yet another way Albuquerque has made its mark on the world of ballooning.

Last year, I had the opportunity to experience Balloon Fiesta in an entirely different way…from the basket of the REMAX balloon! I’ve lived and worked in Albuquerque for decades. I’ve watched countless balloons drift across the city (often right by my window), gotten up before sunrise for Mass Ascensions, sat in Balloon Fiesta traffic (IYKYK), and experienced October here more times than I can count. But being IN that basket floating above the city was different.

There’s something almost surreal about lifting quietly away from the ground and watching Balloon Fiesta Park grow smaller beneath you while balloons fill the sky around you. I was nervous that my fear of heights would get the better of me, but it was one of the most peaceful experiences, especially after all of the noise and excitement on the field. Once you’re floating above it, you get why people fall in love with ballooning. From above, you see Albuquerque differently. The Rio Grande winding through the valley, the city stretching toward the mountains, and hundreds of balloons suspended at different heights and distances. It gave me a completely new appreciation for something I thought I knew.

This year, I had another reminder of how extraordinary Balloon Fiesta really is. I had Realtor friends from Michigan, Washington, and Florida visiting Albuquerque who have never experienced it before. We’ve been planning and looking forward to the visit for months. Getting to see them take it all in: the early alarm clock, the crisp morning air, the first glow of Dawn Patrol, walking among the enormous balloons as they’re inflated and ready to take flight. Then that moment when the sky begins filling with color. When you live here, it’s surprisingly easy to become accustomed to seeing balloons overhead on just a random Tuesday morning. Then someone visits and looks up in amazement. And suddenly, you see it again too. Maybe that’s one of the gifts of Balloon Fiesta. Every October Albuquerque gets to show off a little. And sometimes it takes seeing our city through someone else’s eyes to remember just how remarkable this place really is. I genuinely love watching others discover the city for the first time. Whether it’s visitors to Balloon Fiesta or someone considering moving here from out of state, it’s one of my favorite things and a reason I honestly get to stay in love with this place I call home.

And Balloon Fiesta may feel magical, but its impact on Albuquerque is very real. Hotels fill, restaurants get busy. Shops, galleries, rental cars, and local businesses welcome visitors who have traveled thousands of miles to experience something we get to call our hometown tradition. The extraordinary impact of this one event is supported by the numbers. But numbers only tell part of the story. For nine days, Albuquerque is on the world’s stage. Visitors discover our food. They see our mountains. They wander through Old Town, drive Route 66, explore our museums and pueblos, shop our local businesses, and discover a city many of them know very little about before arriving. They come for the balloons. But my hope is that they leave understanding a little more about just how magical it really is here.

This is an event where the world comes to Albuquerque. Last year alone, pilots represented 12 countries and 41 U.S. states, with an estimated 851,994 guest visits. An economic impact study estimated the 2024 Fiesta generated more than $216 million in economic activity. There's something wonderful about thinking that for one week every October, people from all over the world wake up before dawn together in our city, stand on the same field drinking coffee and eating breakfast burritos, and all look toward the same sky.

There’s even a little bit of Albuquerque magic happening in the wind. Our unique geography can create what balloonists call the Albuquerque Box, a pattern where winds at different elevations travel in different directions. A pilot can sometimes rise into one layer of air, travel one direction, then change altitude and catch another current moving back the other. Occasionally bringing the balloon surprisingly close to where the flight began. It doesn’t happen every day, and pilots can’t steer a balloon in the traditional sense, but when the conditions are just right, it’s another reminder that Albuquerque really is an extraordinary place for ballooning and why it’s not unusual to look up and see balloons in the sky even when it’s not Balloon Fiesta.

The Albuquerque real estate market is moving at a slower pace this fall, with buyers taking more time to make decisions and homes spending a little longer on the market. While closed sales are down compared to last September, average sale prices are still up, showing that home values continue to hold strong. For sellers, realistic pricing and thoughtful preparation are more important than ever. For buyers, a less hurried market can mean a stronger ability to negotiate an interest rate buy down credit. Homes are still selling, but patience and the right strategy make all the difference! Whether you're buying, selling, or just curious about your home's value, I'm always happy to help you navigate the changing market.

OCTOBER FEATURED LISTINGS:

There are so many reasons why Balloon Fiesta never seems to lose its magic. Whether you’re floating above the city in a balloon, standing on the field surrounded by special shapes, watching from your yard in your pjs with a cup of coffee, or experiencing it through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time, there’s always a moment that makes you stop and look up. For a few days every October, people come from all over the world to marvel at something that happens right here in our own backyard. Perhaps that’s my favorite part of all. We get to live in a place where once a year hundreds of balloons fill the sky, the world comes to visit, and our city gets to show off and share a little of the secret we all know about. They don’t call it the Land of Enchantment for nothing. How cool is it that we get to call this home? And if you haven’t been to Balloon Fiesta yet, it runs through October 11th. Or consider this your nudge to start planning for next year!

About this email: This newsletter is intended for entertainment/informational purposes and may contain marketing, advertising, and promotional material. I hope you enjoy the contents, however, you may manage your preferences or unsubscribe below.