This is my favorite activity/festival in the U.S. I have been twice and will return this year also. On our first visit, we bought general admission tickets, and while we loved seeing the balloons, it was very crowded. Seeing the ascent in the morning is absolutely breathtaking! And the most exciting thing is that you can walk around the whole field, which is huge, and visit with the over 500 balloon crews! Standing right there beside a crew as they prepare for take-off is the most fun! Each crew gives out little "business" cards with their balloon name, and details. There are lots of good gift shops too and food stands, but don't spend all your time there. Balloons take off at staggered times, so from sunrise on, for a couple hours, there is constantly something to see! We upgraded to Gondola Club, which is a private viewing area, and we will never go back to General Admission!

Researching this event, I read that you should try to go a couple of mornings and I thought, "Why would you be insane and take the bus at 4:30 AM more than one morning?" And my husband had spent the three days leading up to the event asking everyone we met whether it was really necessary to get up and take a 4:30 AM bus. Yes and yes. That's why the early buses are full of local people from New Mexico--they know the drill. Everyone is in a festive mood. In fact, one of the things I loved about it is that despite it being the "international" balloon fiesta and there are balloons from all over the country and the world (even some corporate ones), it still feels like a very local event. There are teenagers hanging out, lots of people bring their kids, and even the bus drivers are really into it. There's local pride in the event, in the very best way. No, we didn't get to see a Mass Ascension because the wind was blowing the wrong way (we heard that the one trial balloon was headed towards tribal lands). But that's okay because it was gorgeous watching the would-be Dawn Patrol lit up in the dark, and also hundreds of flames going at once. You watch the field transform from darkness and emptiness into a fiesta of color. It's beautiful and wonderful even with the balloons on the ground. Also, good eats, though lines are long. But if you have your heart 100% set on Mass Ascension, definitely try more than one morning.

We arrived at the field around 5:30 a.m. via a tour bus. The roads were crowded with traffic but we arrived in time to see the balloons being fired up in the dark sky. Such an amazing sight! I learned that this was the largest balloon festival in the world and it was something to be able to walk out on the field and see the balloonists up close going about their operations. One balloon took flight around dawn to test the weather. Unfortunately that was the only one that flew that day because of high winds 🙁🙁. It was still an amazing event to see. Many many balloons were inflated before they were informed they could not fly that day. There are many vendors that line the main strip to wander through. It was cold in the early morning but warmed up later as the day wore on, so I strongly suggest dressing in layers. Definitely an event to see! I can only imagine (and see pictures) of what this is like when the balloons take flight!!