1972

1st Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

April 8, 1972
19 registered balloons
13 hot air balloons participated
Balloonmeisters: Sid Cutter, Don Draper
10,000 people attended
Held at the Coronado Mall Parking Lot

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1972 in pictures

1973

2nd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

First World Hot Air Balloon Championship
Champion: Dennis Floden, “Captain Phogg,”
32 International Competitors and 6 Local Balloons
Balloonmeister: Ed Yost
World’s largest hot air balloon mass ascension to date – 126 balloons!
Albuqueruqe becomes the hot air balloon capital of the world
Held at the NM State Fairgrounds

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1973 in pictures

1974

3rd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Sid Cutter
Held at the NM State Fairgrounds

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1974 in pictures

1975

4th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Sid Cutter
Event moves from February to October
Held at Simms Field

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1975 in pictures

1976

5th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Bob Ruppenthal
AIBF Incorporates as a non-profit
Held at Simms Field

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1976 in pictures

1977

6th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Doug March
Held at Simms Field

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1977 in pictures

1978

7th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Doug March
First Key Grab Competition
Held at Simms Field

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1978 in pictures

1979

8th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Mark Wilson
First time the number of balloons tops 300
Held at Simms Field

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1979 in pictures

1980

9th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

305 hot air balloons
Assistant Balloonmeister: Ron Caldwell
First appearance of parachutists
Held at Simms Field

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1980 in pictures

1981

10th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Paul Enz
First gas balloon race
Held at Cutter Field

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1981 in pictures

1982

11th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Charlotte Kinney
Held at Cutter Field

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1982 in pictures

1983

12th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Neida Courtney
Held at Cutter Field

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1983 in pictures

1984

13th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterins: Charlotte Kinney, Neida Courtney
Park N Ride begins
Held at Cutter Field

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1984 in pictures

1985

14th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Doug Gallagher
Held at Cutter Field

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1985 in pictures

1986

15th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: George Hahn
Fiesta Park launch site had snow the last day
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1986 in pictures

1987

16th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: George Hahn
First Balloon Glow
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1987 in pictures

1988

17th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: John C. Davis IV
600 hot air balloons
Last Fiesta Gas Balloon Race
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1988 in pictures

1989

18th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: John C. Davis IV
First Special Shapes Rodeo with 28 special shape balloons
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1989 in pictures

1990

19th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Dick Butterfield
35 special shape balloons
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1990 in pictures

1991

20th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Dick Butterfield
62 special shapes from 8 countries
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1991 in pictures

1992

21st Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Harry Season
Largest special shape rodeo with 108 balloons
Kodak becomes title sponsor

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1992 in pictures

1993

22nd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Harry Season
Special Shape Rodeo added a third flight on Thursday morning
37th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1993 in pictures

1994

23rd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Rodney May
8th World Gas Balloon Gas Championship
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1994 in pictures

1995

24th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Rodney May
First America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Richard Abruzzo / Co-Pilot David Melton, USA
Held at “Old” Balloon Fiesta Park

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1995 in pictures

1996

25th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Patricia Brake
First Dawn Patrol Show
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot David Levin / Co-Pilot Alan Levin, USA\n• First year at New Balloon Fiesta Park

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1996 in pictures

1997

26th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Patricia Brake
First Flight of Nations
First Night Magic Glow
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Richard Abruzzo / Co-Pilot Jacob Traub, USA

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1997 in pictures

1998

27th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Allen Rector
First year special shapes-only balloons to launch Thursday and Friday mornings
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Troy Bradley / Co-Pilot Tami Stevenson, USA

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1998 in pictures

1999

28th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

903 Hot Air Balloons
Balloonmeister; Steve Yazzie
43rd Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race
America’s Challenge not held

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1999 in pictures

2000

29th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Steve Yazzie
October 7, AIBF launched 329 hot air balloons in one hour, a Guiness world record!
1019 Balloons Registered, A Launch Record!
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot David Levin / Co-Pilot Alan Levin, USA

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2000 in pictures

2001

30th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Wally Book
Balloon Fiesta Park launch field is completely grassed
President’s Compound RV Lot available to the public
NM Challenge Event
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Peter Cuneo / Barbara Fricke, USA

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2001 in pictures

2002

31st Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Wally Book
Admission raised to $5, parking $5
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Richard Abruzzo / Co-Pilot Gary Johnson, USA

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2002 in pictures

2003

32nd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Gary King
First year of the Gondola Club
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Richard Abruzzo / Co-Pilot Carol Rhymer Davis, USA

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2003 in pictures

2004

33rd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Gary King
First Fiesta Challenge
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Richard Abruzzo / Co-Pilot Gary Johnson, USA

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2004 in pictures

2005

34th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

49th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race
First Heritage Pin honoree – Sid Cutter
Albuquerque Aloft begins
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Janet Folkes / Co-Pilot Bill Arras, UK / USA

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2005 in pictures

2006

35th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Cheryl Leté
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Andy Cayton / Co-Pilot Stuart Enloe, USA

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2006 in pictures

2007

36th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Cheryl Leté
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Andy Cayton / Co-Pilot Stuart Enloe, USA

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2007 in pictures

2008

37th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeisterin: Cheryl Leté
52nd Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Mark Sullivan / Co-Pilot Cheri White, USA

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2008 in pictures

2009

38th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Chuck Raskob
Chaser’s Club created
America’s Challenge cancelled due to high winds

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2009 in pictures

2010

39th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Chuck Raskob
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Barbara Fricke / Co-Pilot Peter Cuneo, USA

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2010 in pictures

2011

40th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Neida Courtney Bueno
Founder Sid Cutter passes away
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot David Hempleman / Co-Pilot Jonathan Mason, USA

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2011 in pictures

2012

41st Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Neida Courtney Bueno
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Mark Sullivan / Co-Pilot Cheri White, USA

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2012 in pictures

2013

42nd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Sam Parks, Balloonmeister
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Peter Cuneo / Co-Pilot Barbara Fricke, USA

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2013 in pictures

2014

43rd Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Sam Parks
First Music Fiesta
Sid Cutter Pavilion opens
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Anulfo González / Co-Pillot Angel Aguirre, Spain

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2014 in pictures

2015

44th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Sam Parks
Canon becomes title sponsor
America’s Challenge canceled due to weather conditions

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2015 in pictures

2016

45th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Sam Parks
1st Place BFA US Women’s World Championships: Cheri White from Texas
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Peter Cuneo / Co-Pilot Barbara Fricke, USA

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2016 in pictures

2017

46th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Sam Parks
Balloon Fiesta Live! premieres
1st Place America’s Challenge Pilot: Nicolas Tièche / Laurent Schiboz, Switzerland

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2017 in pictures

2018

47th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Henry Rosenbaum
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Noah Forden / Co-Pilot Bert Padelt

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2018 in pictures

2019

48th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Henry Rosenbaum
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Andy Cayton / Co-Pilot Krzysztof Zapart, USA / Poland

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2019 in pictures

2020

Balloon Fiesta Siesta

Balloon Fiesta Siesta Live! Edition lifts spirits around the world

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2021

49th Annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Balloonmeister: Henry Rosenbaum
1st Place America’s Challenge: Pilot Noah Forden / Co-Pilot Bert Padelt

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2021 in pictures