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The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a spectacle that many people from around the world look forward to every year.

As we prepare to celebrate 50 years of Balloon Fiesta, we take a look at the history and pageantry of the international event.

You can watch the full program in the video player above.

While we are celebrating 50 years of Balloon Fiesta, those decades years don't come close to covering New Mexico's history with ballooning. In fact, we have to travel to 1882 to look at some of the first ballooning projects in New Mexico.

Park Van Tassel flew in a coal-powered balloon 140 years ago. Van Tassel made the flight over Albuquerque on July 4, 1882.

Van Tassel went up about 9,000 feet before coming back down.

Nearly 30 years later, in 1909, two other pilots, Joseph Blondin and Roy Stamm, launched to try to set a distance record from Albuquerque. Those pilots traveled across the Manzano Mountains and landed near present-day Clines Corners. It was estimated to be a 90-mile flight.

Video Above: First World Balloon Championships

This would be the last known manned balloon flight in Albuquerque for more than 50 years.

During those 50 years, ballooning technology made several advancements, including propane heaters and lightweight nylon envelopes.

The first modern hot air balloon arrived in Albuquerque in 1965, with more appearing in the next few years.

Sid Cutter's introduction to ballooning was a bit of an accident.

While giving tethered rides at an event to celebrate his mother, a rope Cutter was tethered to was untied, and he took to the skies.

Watch video from the very first Balloon Fiesta with the original 13 balloons above.

In 1972, Cutter launched the first Balloon Fiesta with 13 balloons launching from Coronado Center.

Since that first launch of 13 balloons, the event has blossomed and grown to attract thousands of visitors and hundreds of balloons from around the world.

Balloon Fiesta has launched from several locations in Albuquerque, including present-day Balloon Fiesta Park.

The first location was Coronado Center. That year, 13 balloons participated, and a crowd of about 20,000 people attended.

The event was so successful that it moved to the state fairgrounds for the next two Februaries and continued to grow.

The event had competitors from 38 countries meet for the world hot air balloon championships.

The event eventually grew to 128 balloons.

In 1975, the event became so large that it was moved to Simms Field. At the time, it was the home of more than 370 hot air balloons. Simms Field was located near Interstate 25 and Jefferson in northeast Albuquerque.

The park was named Simms Field after the family that owned the land.

When the Balloon Fiesta was moved to Simms Field, the event date was also moved from February to October.

Simms Field was also the site of the first live broadcast of Balloon Fiesta on KOAT 7.

The event was held at Simms Field until 1980.

As Balloon Fiesta continued to grow, it again needed a new home.

Cutter International Balloon Port was established on Osuna Road between Edith Blvd and Interstate 25.

Sid Cutter dedicated the park by smashing a champagne bottle as he flew into the sky.

The site is now known as Vista Del Norte Park and is a popular landing spot for many balloonists.

Balloon Fiesta again outgrew its space and relocated again.

The then-new Balloon Fiesta Park was established in 1986 near Alameda Boulevard and Edith Boulevard. It was the first time land owned by the city was used for the event.

During the time at Old Balloon Fiesta Park, many events were added, including the special shape rodeo.

The site of Old Balloon Fiesta Park couldn't be permanently developed, and there wasn't much room there for growth. The last Balloon Fiesta at Old Balloon Fiesta Park was held in 1995.

In 1996, Balloon Fiesta moved to the current Balloon Fiesta Park.

The park is located north of Alameda Boulevard and west of I-25, along Balloon Fiesta Parkway.

This park sits across the street from the Old Balloon Fiesta Park.

Visiting and attending Balloon Fiesta can be a big task.

The day usually gets started early — very early.

Traffic tends to be slow getting into the park, and parking can fill up quickly.

But once you're in the park, you're greeted by thousands of others attending as well as the smell and aroma of food and coffee.

Watch the video above to see how food became a part of the Balloon Fiesta experience

After many have grabbed their breakfast of choice, visitors prepare for dawn patrol to inflate and take to the sky. Dawn patrol lets other balloonists know which way the winds are blowing and the weather conditions at flight level. Dawn patrol is critical in letting other pilots know if it is safe to fly or not.

Watch the video above to learn how balloonists know if it's safe to launch.

If the green flag rises, balloonists begin to lay out their envelopes to begin inflating. That's when the thousands on Main Street file into the field to take in the balloons up close.

Everyone on the field gets to see balloons inflate. As the balloon inflates, balloon crews help educate spectators about different parts of the balloon.

Once balloons rise into the New Mexico morning sky, some make a quick "splash and dash" in the Rio Grande.

Video Above: Splash and Dash flights through the years

Once balloons have landed, many people leave the park, only to return for the night events of the Glowdeo.

Pilots won't launch into the air for the Glowdeo, but they will inflate their balloons in a static on-ground display.

Piloting a hot air balloon is like a team sport. It takes an entire crew, who usually loves early mornings, to set up and prepare a balloon for flight.

It all starts with the basket, or gondola.

First, the crew puts the uprights on the burner, puts the burning up and then suspension cables are attached with carabiners.

Next, come the gas lines.

Once the gas lines are attached, the crew checks for leaks before attaching it to the burners.

Once the burner is attached and assembled to the gondola, the basket is then tipped over and the crew attaches the envelope. After the envelope is attached, the crew stretches out the envelope and begins what's called a cold inflate with a fan.

Once enough air is inside of the balloon, they then begin to add hot air from the burner to help push the balloon back upright.

Once the balloon is upright, it's time for takeoff. Once the balloon is in the air, steering is at the mercy of the winds at flight level.

When balloons launch into the sky each morning of Balloon Fiesta, pilots hope for what's called the "Albuquerque Box."

The Albuquerque Box is a wind pattern that sets up during the morning hours of Balloon Fiesta, mainly during October.

In the early morning, during launch, winds at a lower flight level push balloons to the south toward the city. As balloons rise in altitude, upper-level winds will then carry balloons back to the north.

Balloonists hope for this pattern every morning because they can take off from Balloon Fiesta Park and sometimes land back at the park.

Balloon Fiesta has become a huge event known around the world.

Pilots and tourists from many countries visit each year.

Peter Van Overwalle is a balloon pilot that lives in Belgium. He's been attending the event since 1999 and has missed only two years of Balloon Fiesta.

Many see Van Overwalle every year and probably don't even know it. He flies the special shape named Nelly. Nelly is a balloon shaped like an elephant with a pink tiara on it — a favorite of many young fiesta fans.

Van Overwalle is not alone as hundreds of traditional and special shape balloons from across the world are represented in Balloon Fiesta.

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