Visitors could flush in next year's Balloon Fiesta with new toilets

Balloon Fiesta visitors will finally have an amenity they have long wanted: flushing toilets.

The city of Albuquerque announced Monday that restrooms will be built near the Sid Cutter Pilots’ Pavilion at Balloon Fiesta Park and should be ready for next year’s fiesta.

The restrooms are part of balloon park infrastructure improvements that include better lighting, a new parking area and a new public announcement system, Department of Municipal Development spokesperson Dan Mayfield said.

“Balloon Fiesta Park is home to our state’s most iconic event and welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors every year,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “Now it’s finally getting flushable toilets and modern upgrades to make visitors more comfortable and turn it into the modern, world class facility it should be.”

The $3.2 million project is funded with a mix of state and city funds, Mayfield said.

“My administration is proud to support upgrades at Balloon Fiesta Park that enhance the experience for more than 1 million people who visit these facilities every year,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.” Initiatives that boost tourism in New Mexico help local economies, and Albuquerque and surrounding areas will benefit from the substantial upgrades made at Balloon Fiesta Park.”

The bathrooms are scheduled to be finished in September 2025, Mayfield said, and will include 36 women’s stalls, 20 urinals and 12 toilets for men, four family restrooms and heating and cooling.

“These new bathrooms will address a serious need we’ve had for years at the park,” said Julie Morgas Baca, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta executive director. “We want to thank the governor and our legislators for their support to make this happen.”