Story Ideas

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, October 3 through 11, 2009, marks the 38thyear for this world-class sporting event.  For some fresh story ideas, feel free to browse our news release. If you are interested in pursuing any of the following stories, please email kleyendecker@balloonfiesta.com or visit the media tent during the event for contact information. Remember this website is also a great resource.

Ballooning and Balloon Fiesta

• 770 KKOB-AM has been the “Official Voice” of Balloon Fiesta from the beginning.
• Balloon Cam - new on the Web site this year.
• Balloon Fiesta “old-timers.”
• Balloon Fiesta Academy – eleven Cadets from six states, aged 12 – 14, will learn the ins and outs of putting together a large-scale event. Oct. 3 – 7.
• Balloon Fiesta poster collection.
• Balloon Mail – you can mail a personalized letter that has flown with a hot air balloon and then mailed with a special US Postal stamp.
• Balloon Museum (the City of Albuquerque – not Balloon Fiesta – is building this new museum at Balloon Fiesta Park.)
• Balloon pins.
• Ballooning – a family event.
• Ballooning in fine art.
• Ballooning in literature.
• Ballooning under a full NM moon.
• Civic organizations raise money for their charity work during Balloon Fiesta.
• Ed Yost – Father of the hot air balloon.
• Favorite special shapes.
• Fireworks show and people.
• Flying competitions and judges.
• History of ballooning in Albuquerque.
• How do they manufacture special shapes?
• How is a balloon built?
• How is the pilot of the day chosen?
• How long does the ground crew take to get the filed in shape and ready?
• How much does it cost to buy and operate a balloon?
• Longtime pilots who have celebrated their birthdays at the event in Oct.
• Lovelace – official first aid providers at the event.
• Meteorologists.
• Montgolfier Diplome – the most distinguished ballooning award.
• New grass on the field. Recycled water used on the grass.
• Page 2 - 2004 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
• Story Ideas
• New/foreign pilots this year.
• NM Quilters Association Raffle.
• Official balloon ride concessionaire.
• Official Photographers – there are three new photographers this year.
• Official poster and its designer, Marc Pacan. He will be at Balloon Fiesta!
• Oldest sponsors.
• Oldest/newest food vendor.
• Oldest/youngest pilot.
• Oldest/youngest volunteer.
• Park and Ride.
• Prizes at competitions.
• Safety – what it takes to make a safe Balloon Fiesta on the ground and in the air.
• Smallest/largest balloon.
• Sponsors in general.
• Traveling tours that come to Balloon Fiesta. They even have their own hospitality tent.
• What goes on at the small “RV cities”?
• Who are the original 13 Balloon Fiesta pilots?
• World Record at Balloon Fiesta.
• Zebras – personalities and commitments. Gas Ballooning
• Differences and similarities between the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race and the round-the-world flights.
• Emergency planning (what if someone gets stranded someplace, or has a medical problem, etc?)
• Gas ballooning craze and how it’s evolving.
• Goody Goodwin’s online tracking system.
• Ground chase/crews. Three day chase from hell!
• How a gas balloon works.
• How gas differs from hot air, technically and culturally.
• How gas races are scored. It’s very high tech.
• How much does it cost to buy and operate a gas balloon?
• Pilot bios.
• Tracking station operations – support operations in weather, etc.