Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival Returns This Weekend

The 11th Annual Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival takes flight this Friday through the weekend at Century Park, bringing colorful balloon displays, live entertainment, and food to the Coachella Valley.

The festival, ranked among the top 14 hot air balloon events worldwide, will feature pilots and crews from across the United States. Cathedral City Mayor Nancy Ross, described the unique appeal of the experience.

"It's 100% silent. I had never been anywhere in my whole life where you don't hear anything, just silence. And it's magical," Ross said during NBC Palm Springs' live coverage Thursday morning.

This year's festival includes a special treat for local residents: a free Robin Thicke concert on Friday evening at the Cathedral City Amphitheater. Cathedral City residents can pick up complimentary tickets at the Ace Club at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City.

With potential weather impacts expected, organizers encourage attendees to check cchotairballoonfest.com for the latest updates on scheduled events.