1977 marked the fi rst use of “The Big One” as 1977a catchphrase for the Balloon Fiesta. With 194 balloons that year, the event was getting big, especially by the standards of the time. The balloons were getting bigger, too. Within a year, Sid Cutter acquired a 400,000 cu. ft. Raven from the Great Adventures amusement park. Balloons this time being what it was, fl ying it was a whole ‘nuther size are frequently seen at Balloon Fiesta today, but story for another time. Sid promptly dubbed his new back then it was a sensation, a good fi ve times the size gentle giant, “The Big One.” of almost anything else in the air. The technology of the In 1978, ballooning and balloonists in Sid Cutter captured the 1978 National Hot Air Balloon Albuquerque were on an incredible Championship (his fi rst of two). The Balloon Fiesta was 1978high. Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, really growing, for the fi rst time topping 250 balloons and Larry Newman were worldwide (278, to be specifi c). But even with 278 determined heroes, the fi rst persons to successfully cross the pilots who were all sure they were going to win, nobody Atlantic by balloon (see page 188). That same week, won the Balloon Fiesta’s fi rst key grab competition (today called the Ring Toss), where balloonists fl y by a pole and snatch the keys from the top to win a vehicle. The souvenirs were getting more sophisticated, too. The fi rst offi cial Balloon Fiesta calendars appeared in 1976 and were hot items by 1978; they sell by the thousands today. ® Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 68