Fantasy Balloon Flights Not Producing Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival in 2025
CATHEDRAL CITY — As this community sets the stage for the 11th Annual Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival Nov. 21-23, it is doing so without Fantasy Balloon Flights, the city’s longtime vendor since 2017. Thet served as consultants to the event in 2015 and 2016.
Therein lies the rub and subsequent lawsuit, which the City Council approved in a closed-door session and reported out. on May 25.
Ryan Hunt
“Earlier this year, we put the balloon festival contract out for competitive bidding — standard practice to ensure taxpayers get the best value,” Ryan Hunt, Communications and Events Manager, told Uken Report. “Fantasy Balloon Flights had been our vendor, but there were significant performance issues with last year’s event.”
They participated in the RFP process but weren’t selected. SoundSkilz won the contract based on their proposal.
Two attempts to reach Fantasy Balloon flights were unsuccessful.
“We ran a fair, competitive bidding process,,” Hunt said. “Fantasy Balloon Flights wasn’t selected. They need to stop using our festival brand for their business activities. We tried to resolve this amicably, but legal action became necessary to protect the City’s interests.”
The issue is that Fantasy Balloon Flights kept advertising the festival on their website and social media as if it they were still running it, using Cathedral City’s trademarked festival name and logo, Hunt said. “This creates confusion for sponsors, vendors, and the public about who’s organizing the event.”
In a Dec. 24, 2024, Operational & Financial Review of the Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival, the issues documented about Fantasy Balloon Flights were many and shocking. Among the issues documented were:
- Fantasy Balloon Flights currently provides 4-5 staff members plus volunteers
- Comparative reference: SoundSkilz provides 10-15 employees with selfmanaged marketing
- Harassment and Intimidation that included a 25-minute phone call on Wednesday before festival harassing Communications & Events Manager o Repeated statements questioning manager’s competence
- Hostile reaction to City-authorized ticket discount strategy for LeAnn Rimes performance o False claims regarding festival name and logo ownership
According to Hunt, the entire matter can be summarized in four key points:
- Fair and transparent process – We periodically review contracts for major events to ensure we’re maximizing value for taxpayers. Fantasy Balloon Flights participated and understood the process.
- We attempted resolution – We sent a cease-and-desist letter in April asking them to stop using our trademarks. They continued anyway.
- Protecting public assets – The festival name, logo, and brand belong to the City. We can’t allow unauthorized use that could mislead sponsors or confuse the public about who’s running the event.
- Moving forward – While this legal matter is unfortunate, our focus remains on working with SoundSkilz to produce an excellent festival in November.
Chris Parman
“The Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival is a shining reflection of what’s possible when bold vision meets dedicated public service,” Chris Parman, former Communications & Events Manager, City of Cathedral City. “With the full support of our City Council and the tireless efforts of city staff and volunteers, we transformed a simple idea into a beloved tradition that now lights up the skies—and spirits—across the Coachella Valley. From the breathtaking morning launches to the magical downtown balloon glows, this festival has become a joyful celebration of community, culture, and civic pride, drawing tens of thousands of spectators and putting Cathedral City on the map in the most beautiful way.”
—
