Friends and Lovers slated take flight in Rio Rancho in February

Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally returns to Rio Rancho roots

Those who don’t want to wait for October to see a plethora of balloons flying at once are in luck as the Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally returns to Rio Rancho Feb. 10-11 at Campus Park in City Center. With the cooperation of the weather, several dozen hot air balloons are expected to participate in […]

Weather grounds balloons at Friends and Lovers

The balloons didn’t fly but the snow did Saturday morning at the Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally in Rio Rancho’s City Center. Prior to the announcement that the balloons would not go up at about 7:30 a.m., about 100 pilots and crew gathered in the lobby of the Rio Rancho Events Center to get the […]

Balloons a no-go again Sunday at Friends and Lovers

The Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally remained indoors Sunday at the Rio Rancho Events Center as the weather once again did not cooperate. “It’s just way too windy,” said Doug Gantt, the flying events chair. He had been monitoring the weather since 4 a.m., and said the Pi-Balls, which help pilots determine how the winds […]

RIO RANCHO — A Valentine’s tradition will lift off in Rio Rancho for the second year in a row — that is, if the weather allows the balloons to fly.

The Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally, hosted by the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association (Quad A), is coming to the City of Vision Feb. 8-9. It is estimated the approximately 90 hot-air balloons, including remote-control balloons (RC), will be participating in the event this year.

Friends and Lovers began in the 1970s and originally flew out of Rio Rancho. It started as a strategy to garner interest in 1975 World Hot Air Balloon Championships and the fourth Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which was rescheduled from February to October that year.

Eventually, it moved to Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque to take advantage of “the box” and the 73 acres of flying space. Last year, the rally returned to its Rio Rancho origins in response to FAA guideline changes, though weather conditions, including snow, prevented any flying.

The rally is a celebration of hot-air balloons crews and is aimed at recognizing their integral role in ballooning. It is also noted for the tradition of naming a Balloonmeistern, a term of German origin, to females in the ballooning community. It is a prestigious role in the ballooning community and refers to the person responsible for coordinating and overseeing all ballooning activities during in event.

This year, Peg Billson has been named co-Balloonmeistern, with Shelly Cannaday, who died in June 2024, being the first to be named to the role posthumously, according to a release from Quad A.

“These women have amazing careers within ballooning and aviation,” said Kristell Siarza, special events chair for Quad A. “It is fitting to honor Shelly Cannaday as Co-Balloonmeistern because Friends and Lovers celebrates the crews who make ballooning possible. Shelly was a phenomenal crew member and passionate about teaching others how to safely and emphatically support our pilots.”

The 2025 event is expecting ascension around 7 a.m. each day of the event, weather permitting. Primary locations are Cabezon Park, 2307 Cabezon Blvd., and Loma Colorado Park, 735 Loma Colorado Drive, as well as various locations throughout the city. The event is free and open to the public; attendees are advised to bring a chair or blanket and to dress warmly with comfortable shoes.

For more information, visit hotairballooning.org or contact special-events@hotairballooning.org.