ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A flotilla of hot air balloons ascended into a clear desert sky on Saturday to kick off a colorful mass ascension at the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
The nine-day gathering draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and pilots to New Mexico each fall for the rare opportunity to be within arm's reach as the giant balloons are unpacked and inflated. Balloons took flight to screams of delight after a brief weather delay and were spirited away by a gentle breeze. Propane burners roared and hundreds of balloons — from traditional globes to cartoonish figures — rose to speckle the sky with color.
"The mass ascension is just magical, unlike anything in the world really that I've seen," said Paul Kluzak, of Phoenix. He has come twice before and arrived this year wearing a foot-tall hat resembling a hot-air balloon, with a camera slung around his neck. "Seeing them all at once is just really, really cool.
" Companion Heather Kluzak said that words can hardly express the thrill of the event. "We just like to be a part of it," she said. "It's fun to be out on the field" where the balloons inflate and depart.
This year's fiesta includes 106 balloons in special shapes, 16 of which will be making their fiesta debut. That includes Mazu, modeled after the sea goddess of the same name who is deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture and traditions. Ordinarily, cool morning temperatures at dawn can help pilots stay in the air longer, or carry more weig.