The 2010S y 2010, the Balloon Fiesta we know today was mostly in place, an oasis from a topsy- turvy, seemingly increasingly polarized national and world climate. Through its history, the Balloon Fiesta has remained remarkably removed from the disputes of B life outside the confines of Balloon Fiesta Park. People may not agree about the President or much of anything else, but they pretty much can agree that balloons are really cool to look at and a whole lot of fun. Through the second decade of the 2000s, the Balloon Fiesta continued to focus on security and safety and further improving the experience for participants and guests. The opening of the Sid Cutter Pilots' Pavilion, in mid-decade, and the Balloon Museum a decade before, are the most visible improvements to the Park, but not the only ones, and there will be more to come. By 2019, the Balloon Fiesta was already preparing for its 50th year, then just two years away. Like the rest of the country, little did we know of the surprises the beginning of the next decade would bring. PHO T O B Y VIC T OR B ANT A OFFICIAL PROGRAM 233