Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Dozens of balloons took flight this morning, officially marking the start of the 45th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Spectators lined up as early as 4 a.m. Saturday to witness the mass ascension at Balloon Fiesta Park.
Forecasters say the weekend is expected to bring partly cloudy weather and a chance of some rain. Balloonists could encounter a cold front that produces strong and erratic wind gusts.
The nine-day festival will feature more than 500 hot air balloons and 108 special-shaped balloons with pilots from around the world.
The theme for this year is "Desert Kaleidoscope."
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
