At Cathedral City's Balloon Festival, the Free Parts Start Before Sunrise
November 5, 2026
November 5, 2026
A year ago, the clouds over Palm Springs International Airport dropped low enough that the airport issued Instrument Flight Rules conditions. That meant the weather was below safe visual flying minimums. The City of Cathedral City canceled all of Friday's programming on November 21, 2025. That included the Agua Caliente Casinos Sunrise Balloon Launch and the mini balloon glow. It also canceled the Saturday morning launches at The Westin Rancho Mirage and postponed Robin Thicke's concert.
The 12th Annual Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival runs Friday, November 20, through Sunday, November 22, 2026, and Thicke is headlining Saturday night. The schedule has the same layout as before. Most of the balloons fly or glow at times that cost nothing to attend. The $35 Saturday ticket mainly buys a concert.
It's the Cathedral City festival, but no balloon lifts off in Cathedral City in the morning. All three launches take place a few miles east, at two Rancho Mirage resorts. This isn't new: a 2024 Desert Sun guide listed the same two properties.
| Day | Launch site | Address | Arrive | Liftoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Nov. 20 | Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage | 32250 Bob Hope Drive | 6:00 a.m. | about 7:00 a.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 21 | The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa, Pete Dye Resort Course driving range | 71333 Dinah Shore Drive | 6:00 a.m. | about 7:00 a.m. |
| Sunday, Nov. 22 | The Westin Rancho Mirage, same driving range | 71333 Dinah Shore Drive | 6:00 a.m. | about 7:00 a.m. |
The official schedule says the morning launches are "free to watch, with free parking. No ticket needed." According to the festival FAQ, parking is in the resort lots, and signs point the way to each launch site. The FAQ also suggests leaving time to park and walk over. The city calls Friday's sunrise launch at Agua Caliente "the festival's traditional kickoff and the first balloons in the air."
If you want to ride instead of watch, Zion Balloons runs the flights and tethered rides as an independent operator. Morning flights cost $350 per person, and a 10% refundable deposit holds a seat. Tethered rides on the Festival Lawn cost $30 before festival week and $35 during it. Flight passengers have to check in by 6 a.m.
The evening program takes place at the Cathedral City Festival Lawn & Amphitheater, 68700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero, downtown. On Friday, the whole evening there costs nothing. The tickets page puts it plainly: "Friday activities are FREE — no ticket required."
Friday's lineup:
Friday's glow is smaller than Saturday's. Friday's drone show, though, is produced by the same company as Saturday's, and the city's announcement says both nights end with one. Between the free Friday evening and the free morning launches, you can watch balloons fly, glow, and fill the sky with drones without buying a ticket.
The Plan Your Visit page says the garage next to the Festival Lawn has "ample free parking" and tells visitors to follow event signs and staff.
Saturday is the ticketed night. The grounds are open from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. Just A Girl, a No Doubt tribute, plays the Glow Stage at 3:30. The amphitheater opens at 5:00 with DJ A-One, and Robin Thicke goes on at 6:30. The Official Balloon Glow and the drone show begin at 7:45 p.m.
At each price level, here's what you get for the money:
| Ticket | Price | Official Balloon Glow | Robin Thicke | Seat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Festival-Only Admission | $12 | Yes | No | No |
| General Admission | $35 | Yes | Yes | Folding chair or blanket in designated zones, space permitting |
| Preferred Seating | $55 | Yes | Yes | Guaranteed, first come first served within the section |
| VIP Table for 4 / for 8 | $325 / $550 | Yes, from a third-story viewing area | Yes | Reserved table, sold out for 2026 |
The $12 Festival-Only ticket includes the year's biggest glow, the tribute set, the vendors, and the kids' activities. It doesn't include the amphitheater. The $23 difference up to General Admission buys Thicke, DJ A-One, and in-and-out privileges. A $15 Balloon Glow VIP Viewing add-on gets you onto a private third-story rooftop above the lawn, which has its own bar. It works with any of the three regular Saturday tickets.
Children 8 and under get in free with a ticketed adult. Prices go up when festival week starts on November 18, and they're higher at the gate. From today, November 12, that leaves six days at the regular price.
Residents of the host city can get the concert free. Agua Caliente Casinos, now in its sixth year as presenting sponsor, is giving out 500 free General Admission vouchers for Saturday's show. Claiming one takes two steps, and both have to be done by 5 p.m. Thursday, November 19:
There's one voucher per resident, first come, first served, until all 500 are gone. The free ticket is General Admission, so it covers the same things as the $35 tier, including the Official Balloon Glow.
All balloon activities, including launches, glows, flights, and tethered rides, are "weather permitting." The Saturday tickets follow a different rule: "All sales are final — the lineup is subject to change and the event takes place rain or shine."
Last year showed how the two rules work together. With substantial rain in the forecast, the city said balloon ride ticketholders for the canceled launches would receive full refunds. Saturday's festival was set to go on, opening at noon for $10 with four tribute bands. The Official Balloon Glow was still scheduled for 7:45 p.m. The 2025 release describes that glow as "the festival's most popular component," with Special Shape balloons and a giant inflatable pirate ship on the lawn.
The morning launches cost nothing, so if a cloud deck cancels one, all you've lost is sleep. A Saturday ticket can't be refunded if the weather turns, and the lineup printed on it is subject to change. Before you head to a launch at 6 a.m., check the schedule page, which says all times and acts are subject to change.
The Westin Rancho Mirage hosts its own side of the weekend. On Friday at 7:00 p.m., Grooves at The Westin puts on a balloon glow concert with DW3 and BPM, which is Brian Bromberg, Paul Brown, and Michael Paulo, plus special guest Gregg Karukas. It needs its own ticket from GroovesAtTheWestin.com, and festival admission doesn't cover it. After that, DJ Erineil plays Pinz & Pints from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. On Saturday, Marc Antonelli plays the Fireside Lounge from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Both after-parties have a full bar and food menu for purchase.
In Cathedral City, there are two newcomers on East Palm Canyon Drive, not far from the Festival Lawn. La Cocina de Mama Margarita opened its second location at 67778 E. Palm Canyon Drive this summer, and The Desert Sun photographed its "Now Open" sign in August. Farther west on the same road, Eagle Cathedral City held its grand opening on October 30 at 67625 East Palm Canyon Drive. KESQ reported that the nightclub reopened after a multimillion-dollar renovation and holds 777 people.
Sunday is a short day. The weekend ends with the 6 a.m. arrival and roughly 7 a.m. launch at the Westin driving range, plus a launch breakfast at the resort.
At John & Ryan Real Estate Group, we follow Cathedral City's calendar closely enough to know which of its weekends fill up the valley. If you're thinking about a home within an easy drive of the Festival Lawn or the Rancho Mirage launch fields, we'd be glad to show you how this part of the desert lives in November. Schedule a Consultation.
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