ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - (Sept. 28, 2015) The Visit Albuquerque (Visit Albuquerque) launched a photo contest this week that will put one lucky winner and a guest up in a hot air balloon over the 2015 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®. From now until Monday, Oct. 5 at 11:59 p.m. MDT, entrants are encouraged to capture an image that celebrates fall in Albuquerque-from a stunning sunset against the Sandia Mountains to a favorite New Mexican dish-and tag the photo with the #PictureABQ hashtag on Instagram and Twitter.

"This is such a magical time of year in Albuquerque, and we want to showcase that beauty through the eyes of our residents and visitors," said Tania Armenta, Chief Operating & Marketing Officer for Visit Albuquerque. "Social media has a powerful impact on how we see the world, and PictureABQ.com is a great platform to display Albuquerque's images all at once. The chance to experience our destination's signature event from a hot air balloon really is a photographer's dream, and we can't wait to see the photos of Albuquerque that are shared to win that opportunity."

Photos will be selected via Twitter and Instagram and featured on the PictureABQ.com website. Only users who officially register their photo in the contest will be eligible to win. Albuquerque fans can check out submitted photos and vote for their favorites on PictureABQ.com. The winning photo will be chosen by Visit Albuquerque's team of judges based on the judging criteria stated in the official rules and announced on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The winner (and his or her guest) must be available for the balloon ride on Thursday, Oct. 8 or Friday, Oct. 9 (depending on weather conditions and pilot availability).

Use of the #PictureABQ hashtag will continue through and beyond Balloon Fiesta, and many photos will be featured on PictureABQ.com and Visit Albuquerque's social media channels throughout the year. Explore other great Albuquerque images on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #TrueABQ and #BalloonFiesta.