ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – There's been a disturbance in the Force, as the Darth Vader hot air balloon could be flying in its last Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
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There's nothing quite like the atmosphere at the Balloon Fiesta, but for Benoit Lambert, a pilot out of Belgium, this year could mark the end of an era. "This year, he's 19 years old," said Lambert.
Lambert is the owner of the iconic Darth Vader hot air balloon. The balloon was made in 2006, making its debut at Balloon Fiesta the following year. "When we took off, we were like rock stars, not because of us but because of the balloon over us," said Lambert.
A few years later, Lambert brought on Vader's counterpart, Master Yoda. "Yoda joined in 2014, and the first inflation, the first ti