Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The event gives you plenty of chances to explore local shops and discover unique vendors. This year is no different, with visitors once again boosting business activity in the city.
If you’re a Balloon Fiesta vendor, you can turn the event’s massive crowds into more customers and sales. Zeke Gomez said preparing for the annual celebration takes a lot of time and effort. He has worked with Roadrunner Concessions for 15 years.
“I stock all the material, I build this booth from basically the floor all the way up to everything you see,” Gomez said in an interview.
Gomez said Roadrunner Concessions spends thousands of dollars to set up and operate during the fiesta, but the cost is worth it.
“We make it back,” he said. “It’s definitely worth it for us. You know, as long as we got great weather. It’s always worth it for us to be out here.”
Local Shops Also Feel the Balloon Fiesta Rush
While businesses along vendor row profit from the fiesta crowds, the economic impact also reaches outside the park. Shops in areas such as Old Town are also preparing for a surge of tourists this week.
19twelve Clothing Company CEO Fred Franco said it takes weeks to prepare for the increase in customers during the international event.
“I have to be prepared for it. So we start prepping a month before just to have enough product and, you know, to have plenty of stock for the crowd that comes in,” Franco said.
He said products often sell quickly once they are displayed. His team works to keep pace with the steady flow of shoppers, and the results are noticeable.
“During Balloon Fiesta, we do about three times what we normally do, maybe even more than that,” Franco said.
As the fiesta heads into its final weekend, businesses are looking forward to bigger crowds and stronger sales.
