Category: Albuquerque

World’s Largest Ballooning Event Takes to Skies October 5-13

 

Albuquerque, NM – The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta celebrates its 42nd event with over 500 hot air balloons representing 20 countries. The 42nd event will occur October 5-13, 2013 at Balloon Fiesta Park, in Albuquerque, NM. The breathtaking Mass Ascensions featuring waves of hot air balloons will fill Albuquerque’s morning skies with hundreds of balloons on both weekends and on Wednesday of Balloon Fiesta. Evening events bring dusk to life with balloon glows on the opening weekend then Thursday through the second Saturday of Balloon Fiesta.

Opening day at Balloon Fiesta Park will kick off with the Opening Ceremonies, beginning at 6:45 a.m. The 18th America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race, a cross country competition, will also help commence the opening day festivities.

The hot air balloon competitive flying starts on Monday of Balloon Fiesta week, with pilots competing to win cash prizes. Competitive flying will continue throughout the week, taking a break on Wednesday for the Flight of the Nations. The Flight of the Nations will honor the 20 countries participating in the 42nd event, as each flies their nation’s flag from their balloon.

A giant Snow White, chariot, wizard and other unique objects are among the 98 special shape balloons that will take to the skies for their own mass ascension and balloon glows on Thursday and Friday at Balloon Fiesta Park.

For details on events, schedule, entertainment and photographs visit  www.balloonfiesta.com and follow  on Twitter @BalloonFiesta and Facebook.

JetBlue Airways Today Launches the Only Nonstop Service Between New York and Albuquerque, New Mexico

JetBlue logo.

— To celebrate the launch, customers can book sale fares as low as $99 through Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at www.jetblue.com/new for travel between April 29 and June 26, 2013 (a) —

— Albuquerque is JetBlue’s 77th destination —

JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), New York’s Hometown Airline™, today launched New York’s only nonstop service to the vibrant city of Albuquerque. Dave Barger, JetBlue’s President and CEO, was joined today by Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry during the inaugural flight’s departure ceremony at Kennedy International Airport.

Albuquerque is JetBlue’s first destination in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, and is the 77th destination served in the airline’s growing route network. To celebrate, today through Wednesday, April 24, 2013 customers can book flights between New York and Albuquerque for as low as $99 one way at www.jetblue.com/new (a). The special fares are available for travel between May 29 and June 26, 2013.

“Today we’re happy to announce that JetBlue now serves Albuquerque International with the only daily nonstop service to the New York Metro Area,” said Dave Barger during the event. “We know that Albuquerque is one of the nation’s top leisure destinations, with a rich offering of outdoor activities, festivals and art. “It’s also important to note that Albuquerque was, until today, the largest market from New York without nonstop air service! When you take all that into consideration, it makes absolute sense for JetBlue to fly here.”

“This is a huge step for Albuquerque that will add to our opportunities for business and leisure travel.  New York City is the largest market in the country and we now have non-stop service. This will make us more business, convention and tourist friendly, which is good news for us all,” Mayor Berry said. “JetBlue is a tremendous company and the city looks forward to a long-term partnership and additional growth opportunities with the airline.”

JetBlue’s schedule between New York and Albuquerque:

JFK to ABQ: ABQ to JFK:
Depart – Arrive Depart – Arrive
8:25 p.m. – 11:04 p.m. 11:55 p.m. – 5:57 a.m.
– Daily flights operate year round beginning Monday, April 22, 2013 –

Customers traveling between Albuquerque and New York can conveniently connect onwards to dozens of other cities in JetBlue’s route network: Aruba; Bermuda; Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, N.Y.; Burlington, Vt.; Charleston, S.C.; Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, Florida; Grand Cayman; Kingston, Jamaica; La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Samana, Santiago and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic; Nantucket, Mass. (eff. May 16); Nassau, The Bahamas; Portland, Maine; Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Maarten.

JetBlue’s flights from Albuquerque will be operated with its 150-seat Airbus A320 fleet complete with the carrier’s well-known premium offerings, including a first checked bag free (b), assigned leather seating with legroom to spare, and more than 140 channels of complimentary live television and radio on personal seatback screens (c). All flights also include JetBlue’s superior and personable customer service and free and unlimited assortment of name brand snacks and drinks for the ride.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™ with other focus cities in Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles (Long Beach), San Juan and Orlando. Known for its award-winning service and free inflight entertainment as much as its low fares JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch) as well as super-spacious Even More Space seats. JetBlue is also America’s first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue’s control. Visit www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 77 cities with 800 daily flights and plans to launch service to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Worcester, Massachusetts in 2013, as well as Medellín, Colombia. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information call 1-800-538-2583 (TTY/TDD 1-800-336-5530), or visit www.jetblue.com.

(a) Fare includes government taxes/fees and must be purchased by 4/24/13 (the earlier of 11:59 PM ET or local) for flights between New York, NY (JFK) and Albuquerque, NM (ABQ) on Monday – Thursday and Saturday only between 4/29/13 – 6/26/13. 7-day advance purchase required.  Fares is subject to availability; may not be available on all flights; may change without notice; must be purchased at time of reservation; and is one-way, nonstop, nonrefundable and nontransferable.  Reservations made one week or more prior to a flight’s scheduled departure may be canceled without penalty up to 24 hours after the reservation is made. First checked bag is free (weight and size limits and exceptions for itineraries including flights marked or operated by other airlines apply).  Fare does not include fees for oversized/overweight/extra baggage or other fees for products/services sold separately.  To view baggage fees and other optional services and fees, click here . $20 fee per person applies to fares (not Award flights) purchased by phone or at an airport or ticket office.  Cancellations/changes must be made prior to scheduled departure (otherwise all money for fare is forfeited); $100 change/cancel fee per person will apply, and for changes, there may be a fare adjustment.  Cancellations receive JetBlue travel credit, valid for one year.  Proper documentation required for boarding.  Other restrictions apply .

(b) Weight and size limits apply.  Bag fee may apply to itineraries including flights operated or marketed by other airlines. 

(c)  Live satellite TV and radio programming is not available on flights outside the continental U.S.

The World’s Largest Gathering of Nations Celebrates 30 Years of Native American and Indigenous Cultures

 

The 30th Annual Gathering of Nations, the world’s largest gathering of Native American and indigenous people, takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico between April 25 and 27, 2013. During the “Grand Entry,” thousands of Native American dancers simultaneously enter University of New Mexico University Arena dressed in colorful regalia to the sounds of beating drums. (PRNewsFoto/Gathering of Nations/Photo by Andrea B. Good)

 

The Gathering of Nations, the world’s largest gathering of Native American and indigenous people, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in Albuquerque, N.M. between April 25 and 27, 2013. Considered the most prominent powwow in North America, it will host tens of thousands of people and more than 700 tribes from throughout the United States, Canada, and around the world honoring three decades of Native American culture and traditions.

The three-day event includes more than 3,000 traditional Native American singers and dancers, more than 800 Native American artisans, dozens of indigenous contemporary musicians and performers, and a wide variety of food vendors. A young Native American woman is also crowned Miss Indian World. Native American and indigenous women representing different tribes and traditions compete in the areas of tribal knowledge, dancing ability, and personality assessment.

The first Gathering of Nations was held in 1983 at the former University of Albuquerque. In 1984, the powwow was relocated to the New Mexico State Fair Grounds and eventually moved to its current location, the University of New Mexico Arena (known as “The Pit”), in 1986. Throughout the years, it grew to become the largest Native American powwow in North America, but still honors its original intent of offering a powwow contest that is fair to all dancers.

The Gathering of Nations is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the release of a new book, “30 Years of Gathering: Gathering of Nations Powwow,” and the launch of Gathering of Nations Internet Radio on the iHeartRadio network.

The 30th Annual Gathering of Nations begins on April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel – Albuquerque with the Miss Indian World competition. The powwow kicks off at “The Pit” with the “Grand Entry” at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, April 26, and repeated Friday evening at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, at 12 p.m. (noon) and 6 p.m. The new Miss Indian World will be crowned on Saturday evening during the powwow.

Powwow tickets cost $17 per day, $34 for a two day pass, or $50 for a two day pass with VIP seating. For more information, visit www.gatheringofnations.com.

Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festival Spring Show Celebrates 25 Years!

Photography by Jim Carnevale

 

From March 8-10, the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival Spring Show will open its doors to celebrate 25 years.  Featuring a juried lineup of 200 fine artists and craftsmen from all over the country in a variety of mediums: glass art, jewelry, watercolor, ceramics, wood, photography, oil paintings, mixed media and more, this Albuquerque favorite never ceases to draw huge crowds!

Festival goers enjoy a variety of live music, specialty foods, artists’ demonstrations, and the complimentary Kids’ Creation Station, while artists ring in exceptional sales.  In honor of our 25th year, and nearly a decade of ranking in Sunshine Artist’s ‘Top 100 Shows’, we would like to toast to our talented artists, loyal customers, and New Mexico’s fabulous spring weather.

The Festival will be held indoors in the Lujan Exhibit Complex at Expo NM Fairgrounds in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From I-40, exit south on Louisiana Blvd. – turn west on Lomas Blvd. – turn south on San Pedro Blvd. Turn in at Gate 3 or 4 to enter the Expo New Mexico Fairgrounds.

Visit their website for savings on Festival admissions and more details!

AT&T Invested Nearly $175 Million In New Mexico From 2009 Through 2012 To Enhance Speeds, Reliability And Performance For Customers

Expanded 4G LTE Coverage, New Cell Sites and Boosted Capacity Drive Improved Customer Experience

AT&T* invested nearly $175 million in its New Mexico wireless and wireline networks from 2009 through 2012, with a focus on expanding 4G LTE mobile Internet coverage and enhancing the overall performance of its networks.**

AT&T has made nearly 325 wireless network upgrades in six key categories in New Mexico during 2012, including activating new cell sites, adding capacity, upgrading cell sites to provide fast 4G LTE mobile Internet speeds, deploying high-capacity Ethernet connections to cell sites, and adding or upgrading Distributed Antenna Systems, which boost wireless coverage and capacity in buildings and at major venues like convention halls or sports arenas.

“We know our customers depend on us for fast, reliable mobile Internet connections at home, work and everywhere in between,” said Vicki Martin, AT&T New Mexico vice president and general manager. “Delivering for our New Mexico customers is a top priority and our ongoing investment here is designed to deliver a superior mobile Internet experience, encompassing speed, coverage and reliability.”

AT&T launched 4G LTE in the Albuquerque area in December 2012. AT&T 4G LTE is the latest generation of wireless network technology and provides faster mobile Internet speeds and improved performance on a variety of mobile smartphones and tablets.

The AT&T 4G LTE network has been nationally recognized for its speed and coverage. AT&T 4G LTE delivered faster average download speeds than any of the competitors in PCWorld’s most recent 13-market speed tests , and telecommunications industry analyst firm Frost and Sullivan awarded AT&T its North American Mobile Network Strategy Award for the second year in a row in 2012.

“Across New Mexico, this robust investment in the AT&T wireless and wireline networks is important to spurring the economy and creating jobs. In our wireless world, mobile and broadband networks help create economic opportunities for health care, manufacturing, education, transportation and public safety and virtually every other economic sector,” said Jerry Fuentes, President, AT&T Arizona and New Mexico.

Planned Investment to Expand Reach of Wireless and Wired Broadband

AT&T recently launched Project Velocity IP (VIP), a three-year investment initiative to expand and enhance its wireless and wired IP broadband networks. As part of Project VIP, AT&T plans to increase the density of its wireless network by deploying more than 10,000 macro sites, more than 1,000 distributed antenna systems, and more than 40,000 small cells. Through this initiative, we also plan to:

  • Expand 4G LTE to cover more than 300 million people by year-end 2014
  • Expand the AT&T wired IP broadband network to cover approximately 75 percent of customer locations in our wired service area by year-end 2015
  • Expand the AT&T fiber network to reach 1 million additional business locations by year-end 2015

For more information about AT&T’s coverage in New Mexico or anywhere in the U.S., consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure coverage quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. 4G speeds not available everywhere. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Compatible device and data plan required. Learn more at att.com/network .

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
 Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

Mark Your Calendars: Restaurant Week Is Back February 24 – March 3

New Mexico Restaurant Week is back, giving patrons a good look at restaurants where “Red or green?” is merely an option, not the extent of the menu. Now in its third year, the event has become a highly anticipated culinary event.

The fun starts in Santa Fe, where more than 50 restaurants will participate in the Sunday-to-Sunday culinary extravaganza, and several hotels will feature special Restaurant Week lodging packages.  It’s the perfect week for out-of-town food lovers to visit The City Different, and for New Mexicans to plan a long weekend of culinary pleasure in their own backyard.

The foodie extravaganza continues in Taos (March 3 – 10), and Albuquerque (March 10 – 17).  In addition to value-priced dinners and lunches, people can expand their epicurean horizons through daytime cooking demonstrations, classes, and wine & spirits tastings.

Sign up for events, get the list of participating restaurants (you won’t need tickets, but you WILL need to make your own reservations and they fill up fast!), and enter the New Mexico Restaurant Week sweepstakes here.

¡Buen provecho!

New Mexico Restaurant Week

JetBlue Airways to Fly to the Land of Enchantment: The Only Nonstop Service Between New York and Albuquerque, New Mexico to Begin April 22, 2013

JETBLUE AIRWAYS NEW LOGO

– In celebration of the new route, and as a nod to the historic Route 66, customers can book sale fares as low as $66 through Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 at www.jetblue.com for travel April 22 to May 22, 2013

— Southwestern gem is JetBlue’s 77th destination and its first in New Mexico —

JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), New York’s Hometown Airline™, today announces it will offer New York’s only nonstop service to the sun-drenched southwestern city of Albuquerque starting April 22, 2013.  Mayor Richard J. Berry recently announced the airline’s intent to serve New Mexico’s largest city with a daily flight between John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport and Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) during the annual State of the City address.

Albuquerque is JetBlue’s first destination in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, and will be the 77th destination served in the airline’s growing route network.  To celebrate, today through Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 customers can book flights between Albuquerque and New York for as low as $66 one way at www.jetblue.com (a), in a nod to the historic Route 66 that runs through the heart of Albuquerque.  The special fares are available for travel between April 22 and May 22, 2013.

“JetBlue is pleased to offer customers the only nonstop service from the Big Apple to the beautiful, blue skies city of Albuquerque,” said Dave Barger, CEO and president of JetBlue Airways Corp.  “The city is a popular vacation and business destination, rich in culture and arts, heritage and history, and home to the world’s largest hot air balloon festival.  We look forward to earning the loyalty of even more customers in the southwest with our new service to New Mexico.”

“This is a huge step for Albuquerque that will add to our opportunities for business and leisure travel.  New York City is the largest market in the country and we now have non-stop service.  This will make us more business, convention and tourist friendly, which is good news for us all,” said Mayor Richard J. Berry.  “The JetBlue brand is a tremendous product and the city looks forward to a long-term partnership and additional growth opportunities with the airline.”

JetBlue’s schedule between New York and Albuquerque:

JFK to ABQ: ABQ to JFK:
Depart – Arrive Depart – Arrive
8:25 p.m. – 11:04 p.m. 11:55 p.m. – 5:57 a.m.
– Flights operate year round beginning Monday, April 22, 2013 –       

Customers traveling between Albuquerque and New York can conveniently connect onwards to dozens of other cities in JetBlue’s route network: Aruba; Bermuda; Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, N.Y.; Burlington, Vt.; Charleston, S.C.; Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, Florida; Grand Cayman; Kingston, Jamaica; La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Samana, Santiago and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic; Nantucket, Mass. (eff. May 16); Nassau, The Bahamas; Portland, Maine; Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Maarten.

JetBlue’s flights from Albuquerque will be operated with its 150-seat Airbus A320 fleet complete with the carrier’s well-known premium offerings, including a first checked bag free (b), assigned leather seating with legroom to spare, and more than 140 channels of complimentary live television and radio on personal seatback screens (c). All flights also include JetBlue’s superior and personable customer service and free and unlimited assortment of name brand snacks and drinks for the ride.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™ with other focus cities in Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. Known for its award-winning service and free TV as much as its low fares, JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch) as well as super-spacious Even More Space seats. JetBlue is also America’s first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue’s control. Visit www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 74 cities with 750 daily flights and plans to launch service to Providence, Rhode Island on Nov. 29, 2012 and Charleston, South Carolina in early 2013. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information call +1 800-538-2583 (TTY/TDD +1 800-336-5530) from the USA, or visit www.jetblue.com.

(a)    Fare includes government taxes/fees and must be purchased by 11/23/12 (the earlier of 11:59 PM ET or local) for flights between New York, NY (JFK) and Albuquerque, NM (ABQ) on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday only between 4/22/12 – 5/22/12. 14-day advance purchase required. Fare is subject to availability; may not be available on all flights; may change without notice; must be purchased at time of reservation; and is one-way, nonstop, nonrefundable and nontransferable.  Reservations made one week or more prior to a flight’s scheduled departure may be canceled without penalty up to 24 hours after the reservation is made. First checked bag is free (weight and size limits and exceptions for itineraries including flights marked or operated by other airlines apply).  Fare does not include fees for oversized/overweight/extra baggage or other fees for products/services sold separately.  To view baggage fees and other optional services and fees, click here .  $20 fee per person applies to fares (not Award flights) purchased by phone or at an airport or ticket office.  Cancellations/changes must be made prior to scheduled departure (otherwise all money for fare is forfeited); $100 change/cancel fee per person will apply, and for changes, there may be a fare adjustment.  Cancellations receive JetBlue travel credit, valid for one year.  Proper documentation required for boarding.  Other restrictions apply . 

(b)  Weight and size limits apply.  Bag fee may apply to itineraries including flights operated or marketed by other airlines. 

(c)  Live satellite TV and radio programming is not available on flights outside the continental U.S.

Reservations
+1 800 JETBLUE (538 2583)
TTY/TDD: +1 800 336-5530
www.jetblue.com

World’s Most Photographed Event Brings Beauty and Benefit to Local Economy

Bank of the West supports Albuquerque’s vibrant community through International Balloon Fiesta

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.,  — With a growing national economy and possibly better weather than in 2011, the 2012 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta taking place October 6 – 14 could generate an economic impact of more than $100 million in direct and indirect spending, with significant benefits to Albuquerque’s local economy. An Economic Impact and Guest Research Study conducted in 2011 and 2009 showed that the Fiesta not only generated $90 and $106 million in direct spending those years, but that significantly more than half of those attending came from outside the region.

“This is good news for the local economy,” said Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West. “An event of this prominence attracts visitors from outside the region and generates the level of economic activity that contributes to local merchants and tourism, retail sales and – ultimately – job creation.”

Bank of the West is in its second year as the official bank of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, marking over a decade of support for the event.

“We’re pleased to support the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and the important economic contributions it brings to the people and businesses in our community,” said George Stanfield, executive vice president and head of the Southwest Division for Bank of the West. “At the same time, we’re proud to be associated with this incredible event that is known around the world. The Balloon Fiesta not only showcases the natural beauty of Albuquerque but also the hospitality and vibrant culture of our community.”

The nine-day Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning festival in the world, with attendance of approximately of three-quarters of a million visits.  It features spectacular mass ballooning events that have been documented by media from over 50 countries and is known as the most photographed event in the world.  The Fiesta also includes an annual ballooning “race” where participants compete in hydrogen-filled balloons to log the longest distance covered, often traveling more than 1,000 miles in two days.

About Bank of the West
Founded in 1874, $62.7 billion-asset Bank of the West (www.bankofthewest.com), member FDIC and equal housing lender, offers a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services. The bank operates more than 700 retail and commercial banking locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees.

Bank of the West is a proud sponsor of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, the largest international ballooning event in the world. The Fiesta kicks off October 6 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with 19 participating countries and over 530 registered pilots. (PRNewsFoto/Bank of the West)

ABQ Balloon Fiesta To Provide Collegiate Film Makers With Unique Opportunity

This year will mark the 41st time that the Balloon Fiesta has filled Albuquerque’s crystal blue skies.  Still the premier international ballooning event powered by the perfect October climate and a phenomenon called the “Albuquerque Box,” (a combination of weather patterns and geographic landscape, the box allows balloonists to control and even retrace their adventure), this year the Balloon Fiesta Film Fest Presented by Comcast will provide collegiate filmmakers the opportunity to develop short films/digital videos featuring different aspects of the 2012 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

To find out more about this unique opportunity, visit http://www.balloonfiesta.com/media and register your credentials.

The place to be in October is at Balloon Fiesta Park. The 200 acres of grass and booths will be filled with balloons and vendors selling everything from traditional New Mexican food to balloon memorabilia. Each year balloon teams from around the world participate in the event and news coverage originates from more than 50 countries. It has become the most photographed event in the world.

Photo taken by Paul D deBerjeois

Mark Your Calendar: New Mexico State Fair, Sep. 12-23

The New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque remains one of the largest fairs in the nation, with PRCA rodeo and nationally known country-western recording stars, and the Indian and Spanish villages – everything and anything for fantastic family fun!

Visit their Facebook page and “Like” the Fair – they’re giving away thousands in Concert Tickets and State Fair Admissions just for clicking!

Dates to Remember:

  • Tuesday, September 11: Arts Preview Night @ 5:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 12: Opening Day—carnival, exhibits, livestock shows, etc. open at 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 13: First Full Day—carnival, exhibits, livestock shows, etc. open at 9 a.m.
  • Friday, September 14: International Indian Final Rodeo begins at Tingley Coliseum, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 15: Annual State Fair Parade Leaves the Fairgrounds at 8:30 a.m. (heading east on Central to Eubank); International Indian Final Rodeo continues at Tingley Coliseum, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 16: International Indian Final Rodeo final run at Tingley Coliseum, 2 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 18: PRCA Rodeo and State Fair Concert Series begins at Tingley Coliseum, 7 p.m., runs through Sunday, September 23 (see Rodeo Concert Entertainment for details)
  • Sunday, September 23: Closing Day

General Parking will be FREE throughout the run of the Fair!