Fiesta events a go for Saturday evening

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Despite a dicey wind forecast, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta officials say the Saturday evening Twinkle Twinkle Glow and fireworks show will go on as planned.

Fiesta officials made the call shortly after 5:30 p.m. after meeting with pilots.

A National Weather Service advisory forecasts winds topping 30 mph with gusts to 55 mph in parts of metro Albuquerque overnight. An advisory takes effect at 7 p.m. although the weather service said the air mass moving in from the east might not arrive until closer to 9 p.m.

 Stiff winds are expected to continue overnight but let up by 6 a.m., which would be just in time for Sunday morning's mass ascension.

Strong winds aloft canceled the fiesta's first big event, the mass ascension planned for Saturday morning.

During nighttime Glow events, pilots keep their balloons tethered to the ground but produced a colorful spectacle by igniting their gas jets illuminating the envelops from within.