ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – There’s been a disturbance in the Force, as the Darth Vader hot air balloon could be flying in its last Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
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There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere at the Balloon Fiesta, but for Benoit Lambert, a pilot out of Belgium, this year could mark the end of an era. “This year, he’s 19 years old,” said Lambert.
Lambert is the owner of the iconic Darth Vader hot air balloon. The balloon was made in 2006, making its debut at Balloon Fiesta the following year. “When we took off, we were like rock stars, not because of us but because of the balloon over us,” said Lambert.
A few years later, Lambert brought on Vader’s counterpart, Master Yoda. “Yoda joined in 2014, and the first inflation, the first time I see it was on the field at the fiesta,” said Lambert.
After nearly two decades in the air, Darth Vader is in need of some TLC. Originally, Lambert hoped just to replace the fabric that was starting to wear down, but unfortunately, it won’t be that easy. “The factory and engineers tell me it’s too complicated just to replace a small part of the balloon,” said Lambert.
Due to how complex special shapes are, an entirely new Darth Vader will need to be made. “It’s expensive, I think in U.S. dollars, we are looking at $150K,” said Lambert.
He’s looking to Vader’s fans for help to raise the money. “Everyone knows Vader, you don’t like Star Wars, you know Vader. You never see movies, you must live in a cave,” said Lambert.
So far, they’ve raised close to $3,000. Anyone who donates will receive a piece of the original balloon to keep as a memento. “Everyone wants to see Vader coming back next year and for the next ten years or more that’s my dream, but we never know what will happen, so I’m still confident,” said Lambert.
The top three contributors to the fundraiser win a flight on the new balloon once it’s made.
