YNT ON FL T AL W BILL Y O B T PHO Simms Field and the Second World Hot Air Balloon Championships at Jeff erson and I-25 1975 brought big changes to the fl edgling Balloon Fiesta. A meteorological study determined that the WHAT: 4th – 9th Albuquerque International weather was consistently best for ballooning in the Balloon Fiesta; Second World Hot Air Balloon early fall and the Balloon Fiesta moved to its current Championships time, the fi rst full week in October. Sid Cutter, who had WHERE: Simms Field, west of I-25 and organized the fi rst three Balloon Fiestas, needed to focus Jeff erson Blvd. NE on his own business and a new non-profi t corporation, WHEN: October 1975 - October 1980 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Inc. assumed NUMBER OF BALLOONS: As many as 379 stewardship of the event. The event’s new home, Simms NEW EVENTS: A variety of competitions Field (named after the landowning family) was a large including the Key Grab (now Ring Toss) former alfalfa fi eld just west of I-25 at Jeff erson Blvd. and the Tumbleweed Drop; the fi rst (then Since it had no permanent facilities, concession tents, unoffi cial) Dawn Patrol fl ights; the record porta potties, and other amenities had to be brought fl ights of the Double Eagle II and Kitty Hawk in, but the land had ample room for parking, a propane capture the world’s imagination refueling facility, and above all, balloons. Pilots loved WHY IT HAD TO MOVE: When buildings the site and the then-open land around it. By 1980 the started going up on the launch squares on event had almost tripled in size, but buildings were under the east side of the fi eld, it was obvious that construction on the east end of Simms Field and it was Simms Field’s days as a balloon launch site clear the Balloon Fiesta would be on the move again. were numbered WHAT’S THERE NOW: A large business park and industrial area: one of the streets is named Balloon Park Rd. This street, and a couple of the original trees, are the only signs of the area’s past as home to the world’s biggest ballooning event. OFFICIAL PROGRAM 129