This is our 4th visit to the festival. But first time in the morning on Sunday. BIL found street…read moreparking two blocks away. It's free admission. We entered on foot through Santa's Workshop. When we left after 12 noon, Santa himself was there. The first thing we did was visited all the sponsor tables where we picked up swag. College of the Desert had some nice items - stress ball, lip balm, highlighters, etc. Then it was tamale time. Which vendor? Sis and I lined up at the longest line one. We waited about 1/2 hour but spoke to a couple ahead of us who told us which vendors they enjoyed. The longest line was Casa De Silvia. I heard snatches of people's conversations about the chili relleno tamale. When I got up to the order counter I ordered it plus chicken in green sauce and pork in red. The chili relleno tamale lived up to its reputation. Very good. Filled with cheese and chopped green poblano stuffed. Yummy. Later I got a pineapple tamale from The Tamale Fiesta booth. Said came with pineapple pieces. I didn't see any in mine. There's an eating area with canopies that offered much needed shade. We ate our tamales there. Hubby & I made an observation - there seemed to be less tamale vendors than in the past. But the ones that participated offered delicious tamales. We did a complete circle of the festival. Ample porta potties. After a couple of hours we exited.

The festival used to be so much bigger and so many more vendors. The last few years (post covid)…read morehave been smaller and 2025 was smallest yet. We tried many tamales and were disappointed in most of them. Barely took any home to freeze for later. We drive from Riverside every year but probably won't go for 2026. It's just not worth our time anymore. Riverside has a much smaller but better quality vendors festival in late April so we'll probably just attend that one and get our freezer tamales there.

If you need to cool off, go to the Record Safari store, they have the coldest air conditioner and…read moreyou can stand around looking at records and taking in the cold air. I've been to Coachella 3 times before and this year I went both weekends. I was here in the early 2000's before it became what it is now and I can tell you it's massive now. Before this year, the last time I was here was in 2013 and the stages were nowhere near as big and high tech as they are now. Favorite set this year was Nine Inch Noize at Sahara, Ceremony inside the Sonora tent, Suicidal Tendencies, etc. It's the best music festival in the world and worth the hefty price tag. Concert tickets are just about $100 plus dollars, so you're able to see so many artists for less than a standard L.A. venue ticket. HIghly recommend doing it once in your lifetime, but it is exhausting. Don't go back to work for a week after you attend all three days and book a spa day or a massage, the Monday after.

Listening to Young thug and double cup the ice filled with Clase Azul, not Casamigos, as we got…read morejiggy on weekend 1. Probably an unpopular opinion, but I think it was a Thugchella. Don't get me wrong though, Justin Beiber was fun and he played our favorite song, "Beauty and a Beat." We got tier 2 tickets since tier 1 was sold out quick. Try to get these tickets during presale to avoid purchasing resale price which is totally not worth. Also make sure to book hotels/airbnb asap because pricing may increase depending on the lineup and demand! Early the cheaper, I guess. This year was amazing because they were lots of good artists like Bigbang, Subtronics, Isaiah Rashad, JB, Swae Lee, Central Cee, Foster the People and etc. I heard camping was a cool experience but I hate waiting in line for showers and I also heard that some camps got blown away by the dust storm. Mask up! My favorite stage is probably the Dolab stage because it's such a vibe and good for aesthetic pictures. The Sahara is also nice because of the lights and lasers. Food there is all overpriced. I paid like $60 for like two pizzas and a drink. Hungry though so you gotta do what you gotta do, lol. This year Coachella did a collab with Gap and they had an area where you are able to make your own custom hoodie with unique patches! I missed out on it because the line was outrageous!

Visiting the Riverside County Fair and National Date Show at the Riverside County Fairgrounds felt…read morelike a pretty standard county fair experience with a slightly confusing title. I honestly expected to see more about dates, given the name, but I didn't come across much that tied into that theme. Most of what's here centers around carnival rides, classic fried fair food, and the usual midway energy. I did enjoy checking out the fair entries, which added a nice local touch and broke up the ride and food loop. It's a relatively small fair overall, and I was able to see just about everything in roughly two hours without rushing. Fine for a casual visit if you're in the area, but not something I'd plan an entire day around.

We have been coming here several years now for the annual Riverside County Fair & National Date…read moreFestival! Over the years, there is less emphasis on dates and more on typical fair experiences. Came late on a Sunday evening. Paid extra for VIP parking and bought the tickets online, to enter before the gate closed. The VIP parking is south of the fairgrounds. We liked the turkey leg and the funnel cake with raspberry jam! Also enjoyed the piglet racing and the dog stunt show. There are gem and mineral exhibits. The impressive model railroad exhibits are in a building with some history of the Festival.

Wow. Heard such great things about this juried 4 day art celebration that I came from Nashville to…read morejoin my dear friend who'd previously attended. Worth it!!!!! It's a beautiful outdoor event spread out with lots of walking amongst the artist tents. There's a quaint pond in the center, food truck area with some limited seating, clean VIP trailer restrooms, and beverage and snack tucked away all around the area. Tip- wear a hat, sunscreen and comfy shoes. You'll be outside the entire time, walking mostly on grass and some pavement. But let's get to the fabulous array of artists! You'll encounter the artists themselves and most seem to enjoy sharing their stories and talking about their passion. Fabulous jewelry, paintings, sculptures as well as clothing and accessories. You feel so inspired and in awe as you peruse the event. Most artisans were from the Pacific coast but I noticed some from as far as Florida and New Orleans. Paid parking in the civic center gravel lot made it easy to get right in, and plenty of volunteers to guide you throughout the event. When making a purchase you are given a ticket to turn in before leaving to curtail theft. I loved this event and hope to come back someday!

A wonderful time looking at great art. We come here every year to find special items for our home…read moreand for gifts.

Get the Napoli pizza and Mario's cannoli, so good!…read more Admission is $10 but we got ours complimentary from the Hyatt resort across the street. All food items at the fair will cost you $$$. Come earlier in the day as most booths are open then. We arrived between 4-5pm and about 60% of the food booths were closed already.

If you love Italian, this is the place to be. So many wonderful booths with so many tempting…read moredishes to choose from. From ravioli to spaghetti to fresh cannoli. And so many ways to quench your thirst. Plenty of entertainment to keep you entertained throughout the day. This is definitely a must see place to be in the desert

I must say for the amount of time and money spent to attend this venue it's already a big…read moredisappointment! No seating together, outrageous prices on everything! If I make it through this alive it will be. Miracle! They couldn't get two seats together for an handicapped person! Sucks big time!

Great event with a great line up. Bathrooms were clean and air conditioned. Drinks were very pricey…read more($10-15 per beer and $15 margaritas). The beer was good, mixed drinks were very weak as they seemed to all be pre measured. Great screens and speakers for views from everywhere. Pit was great, not massively crowded. The food options were decent...didn't seem to have much variation as the many booths seemed to be repeats around the perimeter. In the back though were great options...wood fired pizzas, etc.

This was my first time at stagecoach or at any music festival out in the desert. I wasn't roo sure…read morewhat to expect and I thought it would be a lot of crazy people. I was surprised of how many young people were there and how they were openly talking about taking drugs and drinking at the venue. The walk from the Uber area was very long and there was a "shortcut" if you had VIP but in reality they were allowing everyone in. In terms of the venue, there was plenty of locations that had sitting area and some of those were shaded. I really enjoyed the VIP area as it had more sitting area. I did notice that all the nicer sitting spaces were being the venue and to bring your own snacks saved for people that were not there at the moment. I also enjoy the bar inside of the VIP since it rarely had a queue. The porta potties didn't seem to smell as bad as they did in the other areas and they did have some of the "nicer" porta potties inside of a trailer. The food of the festival was not great. It was overpriced for mediocre food. I would highly suggest to eat before and after being at the venue and to bring your own snacks. The standing floor was nice for the VIP but keep in mind that they allow general admission to go in there at times specially after the evacuation day. The evacuation was so poorly organized. It was a mess. I do not understand why some of the emergency exits were blocked and they were physically locked. Some people had to climb over fences in order to be able to get out of the venue. I thought it was ridiculous that after we have been waiting an extremely long time for Uber for them to tell us you could go back in. Overall, I really enjoy the music and the fact that it wasn't that hot, but there is definitely room for improvement for the experience especially if you pay for VIP.

Stagecoach was everything I thought it would be and I was content. For a first timer it was a…read morereally fun and worthwhile experience. Would I come back again? Yes! Leaving this review I understand my circumstances are different than some and their complaints I can't speak to per se. I didn't need to take a shuttle, I expect food to be pricy so I eat beforehand (almost every venue or festival for music I've been to the food is not priced at a normal rate), I wasn't camping here, and I don't expect a festival or their staff to somehow be able to control desert weather?! Some of these complaints on here are weird. lol. Their experiences are valid but also a lot of these things with better planning or some sense could likely be mitigated, at least that's how I felt after reading them. Maybe I am just too logical? The polo grounds are great, large enough to accommodate these massive crowds and it's a good location as it neighbors La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella giving you variety of areas you could stay if you are traveling. I'm impressed with how many parking lots they have here and with 80,000 people attending I'm not sure how people wouldn't think there would be some walking involved? You can't get that many people and their vehicles, shuttles, and alternative rides all close enough to park and just walk right into a venue. I felt their parking setup was pretty successful if you brought your own car but I understand the shuttles had massive lines and that's unfortunate. I feel like overall the staff are very friendly and nice here. These festivals bring jobs to the community and while you definitely get a variety of workers from all walks of life, I felt my interactions were 98% very positive. So many staff just with a smile on their faces, asking you to get home safe, and thanking you for coming as you walk out, that's a nice touch. I saw staff everywhere I turned and they seemed to have a good handle on things between the security, vendors, and even trash cleanup crews I felt they did a good job. The lineup this year was really great, some hits and misses as will happen but for the most part I was impressed with the headliners. My personal opinion was that Post Malone and Morgan Wallen were some of the best this year, brought good energy and the sound came across really good on my end. I loved the merch options and the ability to buy items ahead of time. The app for the phone was also super handy and I like the organization it helps create when planning your trip. Lastly, the VIP and upgraded wristbands were a must in my opinion. Worth the money I felt as you had better access to restrooms, food stalls, drinks, and of course close to the stage and more room. Stagecoach was great, definitely a music festival worth coming to 100%.

Bring it back!! Best Polo Field event ever…read moreVery Local Very fun Great music Low crowds Begins concert season

*** Very chilled way to spend an afternoon. ***…read more Got 8hrs or so? Drive east for Blues & Brews! This festival is an excellent way to mellow out in the desert. 2hrs or so from LA but worth the drive in my opinion. The park is really beautiful (koi pond, ducks, lil bridges, grass, willow trees). Food vendors included a fish mkt, Mex restaurant, German brat spot, and numerous craft breweries. Me likey. Admission is $20, yet parking is free. A great way to get acquainted w/ Palm Desert. *** This could easily be a tea party tho. (lol) ***

I love this art show. Well planned, a nice curated group of artists. Set at the Indian Wells tennis…read moreclub. My only suggest, is to have more food options. That way visitors would be more inclined to stay longer, rather than leave the park for lunch.

My choice for the best arts festival in the desert! We look forward to it every year. A…read morewonderful variety of high quality art - there's something for everyone's taste. Love the kids art projects area. The desert views from the Gardens are amazing...a work of art in its self! A beautiful day surrounded by art and beauty. What more could you want?

The Polo Club is a big and varied place. They do actually have polo fields there. AND, they also…read morehave other areas. Today I was there for the soccer invitationals. I've been for others things. The dog show, for instance. It's a nice outdoor space. There are areas that are very rich in foliage and give plenty of shade. The staff has always been nice and helpful, from the parking people to the security and cashiers, I've never have anyone be ambivalent. Food is, well, epic expensive. If you plan to spend $30 on food and $10 on drinks, you can get by. Beer was not outrageous though, which was a surprise. I definitely recommend going. Parking has always been easy. Some events it's free parking, others it costs, so plan ahead.

Fantastic Pre-Season Soccer in Palm Desert…read more - - - - - - - - February, 2026 Visit We visited Palm Desert to see our St. Louis CITY Soccer Club (SC) play Austin in pre-season MLS soccer at the Coachella Valley Invitational Tournament, and we had a GREAT TIME!! The Coachella Valley Invitational Tournament is pre-season soccer for men (MLS) and women (NWSL), played at the Empire Polo Club in February each year. We have visited Palm Desert for many years, and have visited before and after the tournament the past couple years, but have missed attending; thankfully schedules aligned this year. After watching previous games on YouTube, this year we got to be there in person! The tournament's site offers some challenges on finding General Admission tickets; after some time we found that the Los Angeles Galaxy (LAG) were managing the tickets; a quick call with Miguel, who was very helpful, and we soon had our tickets in the app ready to be there for the soccer. Thanks, Miguel!! Parking for soccer was easy to find based on the online map and following the signs. For food, under the semi-permanent tent they have food trucks and an open bar. Here is little shade on the fields; some palm trees in the corners offer a place to cool off; otherwise if the skies are clear, the Palm Desert sun will provide copious doses of Vitamin D to lift your spirits. DJ Alf Alpha provided dance tubes all day and there were various soccer skills for fans to participate in. Even when the weather is not as nice as it was for us, this is still a great facility, with low humidity. Fun fact... the Salton Sea is the second lowest point in the US, after Badwater Basin / Death Valley; if I calculated correctly, the Empire Polo Club elevation is 5-20 feet. Thank you to everyone who makes the Coachella Valley Invitational possible! As Major League Soccer transitions its season to match the rest of the world, and to spread across two years, but no soccer in cold Jan/Fen nor hot July/Aug, we hope you'll continue the tournament as a mid-season break tourney. ----- ----- -----