CELEBRATIBG 50 YEARS FIELDS OF BY KIM VESELY, FOR THE AIBF HERITAGE COMMITTEE Through the fi rst half of its 50-year history, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® led a nomadic existence, steadily migrating northward through fi ve launch sites in step with the city’s steady development. Each of the Balloon Fiesta’s launch sites had its own personality and each played a distinct role in the event’s history. A ANT B OR T O: VIC T PHO ® 126 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta