Summer events don’t get much better than the return of the Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta (EBBR) 41st anniversary ascension, August 5 – 7, 2022. One of the country’s most unique balloon adventures, the annual EBBR at Elephant Butte Lake State Park is a family-friendly event and a great opportunity to get out and enjoy the natural beauty of our area. About thirty balloons are expected to take flight from Lions Beach. Mass ascension starts at 7:15 a.m. all three days, weather permitting, along with tethered rides on Saturday and Sunday ($25 for adults and $20 for children). Tethered ride tickets must be purchased the day of at the event. A balloon glow will be held Saturday, from 7:30 – 9 p.m. at Sierra del Rio Golf Course. You won’t want to miss it!
New this year is the addition of the inaugural Turtleback Music Festival at Sierra del Rio Golf Course with Terry Bullard as the headliner. “We wanted to give visitors something to do after all the balloons go down for the day, rather than just going back home,” says Denise “Dee” Addie, Sierra County native and co-organizer of the Balloon Regatta. Other entertainers will include a performance by the Hot Spring High School and Truth or Consequences Middle School student choir, Tudy Romero & The Silver Bullet Band, Bert Fergusen, Sue Barr, and many more. Enjoy delicious treats from a food truck Saturday night of the festival.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online and at the door. Three-day passes are $30 per person and individual door tickets are $10 each.
Friday: $10
Saturday afternoon: $10
Saturday Evening: $10
Sunday: $10
Visit turtlebackmountainmusicfestival.com for information about the music fest.
Though EBBR got its official start in 1980 as a Mother’s Day event, the rally itself traces its history back to the 1970s, when balloonists regularly made the trek to Elephant Butte for either the Mother’s Day or Easter weekend. The timing of the rally was often dependent on the weather and when the spring season had arrived, for example when the lake season began. In 1989, concern over the safety of the balloonists flying over the lake prompted the Coast Guard to provide chase boats for each balloon. This concern also prompted the formation of the EBBR as an organizational entity.
This year’s regatta is sponsored by Sierra Vista Hospital and Clinics along with Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta Organization, the rally is free to the public, though park fees remain in effect at $5 per car and $15 per bus. For more information, visit the website.
Balloon sponsorships are available and close July 15. For more information on sponsorships, contact Dee at 602-738-0212 or Steve Buckley at 575-740-2794 or email [email protected]
Follow the EBBR on Facebook to stay up to date on day to day announcements.
Posted by LasCruces.com
