| Every year in October Albuquerque, NM has a balloon festival. They launch over 500 balloons within an hour. The scene is quite spectacular. |
| Albuquerque Balloon Festival 2012 |
| Panoramic of the balloon festival prior to the beginning of launch. (Large Photo) |
| The balloons are inflated with fans and hot air from gas torches. |
| The balloons are launched as soon as they are vertical |
| Within a half hour the sky is full of balloons (Large Photo) |
| A cat and a panda bear launch last. |
| There really are pink elephants and they also fly |
| Some balloons were very strange shapes--Lucy?? |
| A Zebra balloon! |
| An Elephant balloon! |
| After an hour most balloons were launched (Large Photo) |
| Some did not make it off the ground! (Large Photo) |
| Fifeteen minutes after the initial launch surge the sky is full. |
| A pig that can fly! |