Blow Up for Balloon Festival RV Parking?

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a huge draw for RVers. Every "fiesta" draws thousands of the motorized balloon watchers, and nearly 2,000 of them park their rigs in a ersatz campground south of the festival grounds. Last fall a city worker was found dead on the landfill site--apparently from inhaling methane fumes. But an investigation into the worker's death has revealed serious concerns about the safety of electrical hookups provided RVers at the campground.

With the festival slated to take to flight on October 6th, officials are scrambling to determine just how to handle the situation. One suggestion is to yank out the electrical hookups--which could cause considerable grief to RVers who need the juice. At this point, government types are so concerned about liability that nobody can access the campground without an official city escort. While a few months before the festival remains, the pace of government could cause an uproar at festival time. It appears festival folks are more positive--they're already accepting reservations (and money) for electric sites at the campground.

Read more on the story in the Albuquerque Tribune.

Photo copyright R&T DeMaris, may not be used without written permission.