Claim: The hot air balloon is on the list of New Mexico state symbols, which represents the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, a yearly nine-day hot air balloon event, the largest in the world with over 500 hot air balloons every year.
Evidence: Hot air balloon, symbol of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Aircraft The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly hot air balloon festival that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during early October. The Balloon Fiesta is a nine-day event occurring in the first full week of October, and has over 500 hot air balloons each year far from it humble beginnings of merely 13 balloons in 1972. The event is the largest balloon festival in the world, followed by the Grand Est Mondial Air in France.