Federal Court Protects Balloon Fest in Cat City

Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Protecting Cathedral City’s 2025 International Hot Air Balloon Festival

 CATHEDRAL CITY — This community’s International Balloon Festival has grown so big and so popular that a local hot air balloon company tried to cash in on Cathedral City’s good name and reputation. A federal court has put the kibosh to such a disingenuous act. You may read the injunction here.

The kerfuffle seemed to begin after Fantasy Balloon Flights failed to receive the bid for this year’s event. Even though not winning the bid, the company attempted to portray itself as an associate of the event by using logos, designs and even advertisements. The use   of Cathedral City’s intellectual property became to blatant that the city sought a temporary injunction. You may read it here.

Judge Sunshine S. Sykes, of U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, on Friday granted the city of Cathedral City’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction, prohibiting Fantasy Balloon Flights (FBF) and its principals, Steve Wilkinson, Cindy Wilkinson, and Justin Wilkinson from engaging in conduct that interferes with the City’s 11th Annual Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival (Nov. 21–23, 2025).

This order strongly protects the city’s rights to the Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival, one of the City’s annual signature events that draws tens of thousands of people to the city and surrounding communities. The order prohibits the defendants from engaging in conduct that the Court found likely to be unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent under California’s Unfair Competition Law.

“Today’s order protects the integrity of our community’s beloved festival and gives residents, visitors, pilots, and sponsors clear assurance about who is running the official event,” said Ryan Hunt, Communications and Events Manager. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to the authentic Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival on November 21–23.”

By way of background, since 2015, Cathedral City has hosted the Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival, later renamed the Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival. In April 2025, after a competitive RFP, the City awarded a three-year production contract to SoundSkilz, Inc.

The Court’s Findings

Based on extensive declarations and exhibits, the Court found the City is likely to succeed on its UCL claim. The Court cited evidence that the defendants (1) held themselves out as authorized organizers of the official 2025 Festival, (2) solicited and accepted sponsorships and pilot deposits without the City’s authorization, (3) created confusion among pilots, sponsors, and venues, and (4) took steps inconsistent with its prior statement to the Court that it had “moved on” from the City’s Festival, including securing FAA approval in June 2025 under Cindy

Wilkinson’s name for the “Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival.”

In her September 24th order granting a temporary restraining order in favor of the city, Judge Sykes noted that the city had “produced a mountain of evidence” demonstrating the defendants’ unfair and fraudulent business practices. Judge Sykes found defendants’ conduct particularly concerning given that the defendants and defense counsel had represented at an earlier hearing that defendants had not solicited deposits or contact information – a statement the court found appeared to be contradicted by the evidence.

 Key Terms of the Injunction

Pending trial, defendants are prohibited from, among other things:

• Holding themselves out as producer, sponsor, CEO, founder, or authorized organizer of the City’s Festival (or any similarly named event suggesting City affiliation).
• Using the City’s festival names, word marks, or design elements (including confusingly similar variations).
• Advertising, promoting, soliciting, or accepting funds for the City’s Festival or any competing hot air balloon festival on Nov. 21–23, 2025 at Downtown Cathedral City, the Westin Rancho Mirage, or Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage.
• Using City-related tangible or digital event assets, including balloon envelopes or cobranded materials, for any unauthorized event.
• Organizing any balloon event within Cathedral City without all required permits and approvals.

The Federal Court also ordered defendants, within five court days, to provide a verified disclosure of all pilots, sponsors, and volunteers they contacted (or who contacted them) since January 1, 2025, including amounts paid.

The Official 11th Annual Festival

The Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival will proceed November 21–23, 2025 at Downtown Cathedral City, The Westin Rancho Mirage, Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage, and Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City, presented by Agua Caliente Casinos and produced by SoundSkilz, Inc. Pilots, vendors, and sponsors should contact Steve Clayton at [email protected]. For official information, visit www.cchotairballoonfest.com, follow @cchotairballoonfest, or contact Ryan Hunt at (540) 664-8556 or [email protected].