Live: Hot air balloons fill the skies above New Mexico for annual fiesta

The skies over New Mexico are be filled with balloons as the area kickstarts celebrations for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Held until 15 October, the fiesta opens today (7 October) with a mass ascension of balloons. Other events across the week will include a gas balloon race, balloon glows, competitions, and plenty of photo opportunities.

Barbara Fricke and Peter Cuneo are preparing for a three-day stint in their balloon as they compete to travel the farthest distance in one of the world’s most prestigious races.

“You’ve got to start thinking — yes, I’m going to live in this basket for three days, and this is going to be home, and I’m just camping out in the sky,” Fricke said.

The fiesta originally started in 1972 with just 13 balloons, and now welcomes over 600 balloons each year, making it the largest in the world.