Soaring to Balloon Fiesta Success: Behind the Scenes
Every October in Albuquerque, a spectacular display of colorful hot air balloons sails through the skyline for nine days. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF) is an enchanting event beloved by both locals and tourists alike. Building and organizing this event, however, is no small feat. The event involves 500 balloons at a time, 700 acres of land, and one million attendees!
The team at AIBF uses TicketSpice to soar to success. Here’s how they do it:
The Perfect Ticketing Page
With dozens of moving parts, AIBF is a complex event. Not only does it handle one million attendees, but the event schedule involves roughly a dozen different attractions each day. The second Friday of the event, for example, has a kid’s goodie bag distribution, a chainsaw carving exhibition, a drone light show, and a fireworks show. AIBF utilizes the TicketSpice page builder to design a customized, user-friendly ticketing page that includes all the add-ons. From sponsor information and pilot applications to bike maps and schedules, the website provides a wealth of information while staying on brand with brightly colored aesthetics.
Multiple Ticket Types
At such a high-volume event, it’s impossible that all one million attendees would want the same type of event experience. Understanding the diversity of their audience, the team at AIBF uses the ticket levels feature to offer a variety of ticket types at different price points. The Chaser’s Club ticket, for instance, serves attendees coffee, hot cocoa, and catered meals on a private patio next to the launch field. Meanwhile, other attendees might purchase a General Admission ticket along with an add-on to the Music Fiesta. Providing the option to choose from multiple ticket levels will broaden your reach and delight more attendees.
Merchandise
Offering merchandise on your website, at checkout, or on event day is a fantastic way to increase your bottom line. On their ticketing page, AIBF links to an online store where they sell drinkware, clothing, jewelry, and more. On event day, the main street is lined with 100 hand-selected merchandise and food concessions. Filled with goods ranging from green chile cheeseburgers to unique souvenirs, the concession space spans over a third of a mile long.
Ticket Scanning
Efficient crowd management is a top priority for AIBF, where hundreds of thousands of attendees check in each day of the event. With the TicketSpice scanning app, each ticket holder’s data is stored locally on their device, and tickets with the same payment are grouped. The result is lightning-fast check-in for groups and individuals, and little waiting in line.
Final Takeaways
With TicketSpice, the AIBF team has simplified ticketing, expanded merchandise sales, and streamlined check-in for one million attendees. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is more than a breathtaking display of balloons—it's a magical, hassle-free experience year after year.
If you’re looking to elevate your next event, TicketSpice can help you take off and rise—just like Albuquerque’s colorful balloons. Click here to sign up, or reach out to our support team with questions.
— The TicketSpice Team
