The 53rd ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Any local will tell you that October is the most beautiful time of year in New Mexico, made so in large part by the much-anticipated sight of colorful balloons punctuating the skyline. During this season, the sky is bluer, the days are gentler, and the mornings crisper -- almost as though the landscape has taken a deep sigh -- and on the desert’s warm breath sails the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.