All balloonists think they fly the most beautiful thing in the sky, says Jonathan Wolfe. "And they're wrong," he laughs.

Every autumn we are greeted with three things here in the Land of Enchantment—the aroma of roasting green chile, the deep-fried spectacle of the State Fair and the early morning sky filled with breathtaking globes of color, launched from the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. From Oct. 2 through 10, hundreds of hot-air balloons will take flight over the Duke City at the world's largest ballooning festival. This schedule will keep you as occupied and cheerful as the skies above Albuquerque.