Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival

When is Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival 2026?

Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival 2026 runs November 20 to 22, 2026.

How the dates are set: Held in November over a Friday to Sunday weekend; recent editions have fallen on the weekend before Thanksgiving. The city announces the dates each year.

See every event in November 2026

Source: cathedralcityamp.com

Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival schedule

• Friday, November 20, 2026: The festival opens with an evening program from 5 pm to 9 pm at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater.
• Sunday, November 19, 2017: At the 4th annual edition, balloons were inflated at 6:00 a.m. and about 35 balloons took off in a mass ascension at 7 a.m.

Sources: cathedralcityamp.com, gcvcc.org

Getting to Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival

• In 2026 the main location is the Cathedral City Festival Lawn and Amphitheater at 68700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero, with additional launches at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage and The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort and Spa.
• The festival has an app with event schedules, launch updates, maps, ticket info and real-time alerts.

Sources: cathedralcityamp.com, cchotairballoonfest.com

Tickets and cost

Festival tickets are sold through the festival site, and balloon flights and tethered rides can be reserved separately. In 2017, admission and general parking were free and tethered rides cost $25 for adults and $20 for kids ages 5 to 12.

Source: gcvcc.org

Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival: questions people ask

Sources: cathedralcityamp.com, cchotairballoonfest.com, gcvcc.org

About Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival

Balloon glows, tethered rides and live music in the Coachella Valley, held the weekend before Thanksgiving.

The Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival centers on the Festival Lawn and Amphitheater, with extra launches in nearby Rancho Mirage. Expect morning ascents, tethered balloon rides, evening glows, food trucks and live music. Balloon flights are weather permitting, so keep a flexible plan. Early editions of the festival were held in February, and it has been a November event for several years.

Know before you go

• All balloon activities are weather permitting.
• Balloon flights and tethered rides are run by an independent operator, Zion Balloons, and are booked separately from festival tickets.
• Palm Springs International (PSP) is the closest airport, a short drive from Cathedral City.

Planning the trip

• Best time to visit California

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