NATCHEZ — This weekend is packed full of musical entertainment, festival attractions and even a touch of history on the grounds of Fort Rosalie.

The Natchez Balloon Festival kicks off its 34th annual season 5 p.m. Friday at Rosalie Mansion 100 Orleans Street.

Hot air balloons may be spotted throughout the weekend Friday and Sunday morning and Saturday morning and afternoon as weather permits.

The festival features live music from John “Papa” Gros and The Allman Betts Band on Friday; Maggie Brown, The B3, Mr. Sipp, Cowboy Mouth and Bishop Gunn on Saturday and Matt Willis and Chris Gill and The Sole Shakers on Sunday.

Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday while the artists market and carnival open one-hour before the gate.

Admission at the gate is $5 to $25 per day or $40 for a weekend pass and may be purchased online at natchezballoonfestival.com for a discounted price. Children under 12 years old are admitted for free.

From 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday, a bit of history will come to life with Living History at Fort Rosalie with historians portraying French, Spanish, British and American soldiers and colonial women. Admission to the living history event is free and includes show and tell stories about the history of Fort Rosalie, the people who lived there and native people who lived nearby, said Natchez National Historical Park Historian David Slay.

Guests may park at the Natchez Visitor and Reception Center at 640 S. Canal Street. The pedestrian entrance to the living history site is at Green and Canal streets across from Old South Trading Post.

Entrances for the Balloon Festival are at Orleans and Canal streets and on south Broadway at State Street.