BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – A new event is spreading Balloon Fiesta love to Los Ranchos, the first time any event has been held outside the park. Sixty-six remote-controlled hot air balloons popped up Monday night for Globito Glow in the Village.
“The Village came up with the idea of having 66 on 66,” said Globito Balloonmeister, Melissa Bond.
More Balloon Fiesta fun to go around, for the first time ever, a Fiesta event is taking place outside the park, its sole focus? “Only RC’s remote-controlled little globitos and everybody is super excited about this,” said Bond.
It’s clear no one is more excited than the pilots. “This event being solely for us is just another mind-blowing moment because I never thought we could actually get something like this,” said RC hot air balloon pilot, Gary Tilley.
Tilley bought his RC balloon last year, flying it at parks across the metro. “It’s got my whole family drug into it, my brother can’t make it tonight, unfortunately, but this is a whole family affair right here,” said Tilley.
This year is Tilley’s first time flying his balloon, Xena, at Fiesta, officially debuting on the first Sunday of the event.
“It makes me happy seeing them light up with, ‘oh my gosh, this is cool,'” said Tilley.
While Fiesta is magic for all pilots, tonight is especially unique. “This is just awesome, I mean, taking it all in and doing it all, it’s just amazing,” said Tilley.
Setting up next to 65 other RC balloons for Globito Glow in the Village in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 3,000 people. “This is one way that we can reach out, and we’re more approachable because we have the smaller balloons and everybody loves the little balloon,” said Bond.
The hobby is just as addictive despite its smaller size. “I wanted to get into it since I was in middle school. I had seen some flying after the big balloons had flown off at the Fiesta,” said Tilley.
Balloon Fiesta officials hope the Globito Glow event will become a yearly event.
