If you’ve ever dreamed of making like a wizard and soaring over the rainbow, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest hot air ballooning event in the world, should be on your must-experience list. Every year during the first week of October, the skies over Albuquerque fill with color and whimsical fancy as hundreds of gigantic hot air balloons go aloft. What started as a small gathering of 13 balloons in 1972 now attracts hundreds of thousands to the city for nine days of craziness that includes food, music, art and, of course, a celebration of ballooning history.