Due to concerns over the COVID-19 Coronavirus in the Coachella Valley, many major events in the Greater Palm Springs area have been canceled or postponed until a later date. Please read our special update below, and keep in mind this is a rapidly developing situation. Latest updates are listed first.
CLOSED: All Nonessential Businesses
All non-essential businesses are closed for the time being. Restaurants may offer takeout only. Residents have been advised to “shelter in place” and limit activities to only those essential to their daily lives. More info
CANCELED: Palm Springs Leather Pride
Originally scheduled from October 29–Nov. 1, 2020, Palm Springs Leather Pride has been canceled. Event organizers are looking forward to a bigger and better resurrection of Leather Pride in 2021. More info
CANCELED: San Diego Pride, San Francisco Pride, Comic-Con
San Diego Pride’s Board of Directors and staff has announced that all in-person gatherings scheduled for July 2020 will not take place as planned, saying “Given the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale events such as Pride Parades and Festivals are simply not possible and pose too much of a risk to public health and safety.” San Francisco Pride has also been canceled, as well as the San Diego Comic-Con convention.
CANCELED: Red Dress Dress Red 2020, to Return in 2021
The LGBT Center of the Desert has announced that the Red Dress Dress Red Party 2020, first postponed from March to May of this year, has been officially canceled for this year. Mark your calendar, however, because the date for the next Red Dress Dress Red Party 2021 is planned for Saturday, March 20, 2021. In the meantime, to celebrate the spirit of Red Dress this year, they are planning a live Virtual Dance Party on Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m. with music by DJ Galaxy. More info
CANCELED: Splash House June 5–7
The June edition of Splash House, originally scheduled for June 5–7, has been canceled. Two Splash House weekends remain on the calendar for August: Splash House Weekend One is August 7–9, and Splash House Weekend Two is August 14–16.
NEW DATE: Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast
The Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, presented by Palm Springs Pride, originally scheduled for May 7, will now be held on Saturday, July 11. All tickets sold prior to this change will continue to be honored for the new date. All elements of the breakfast will remain as planned, including the participation of area students. More info
NEW DATE: Palm Springs HOT RODEO
The Greater Palm Springs Rodeo Corporation Board of Directors and 2020 HOT RODEO Production Team have decided to cancel the 2020 Palm Springs HOT RODEO, originally scheduled for May 1–3. In addition, social & fundraising events are cancelled until further notice. HOT RODEO plans to return May 7-9, 2021
OPEN: Certified Farmers’ Markets
The Palm Springs Cultural Center has announced that all 3 of their Certified Farmers’ Markets (Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta) will resume operations, beginning: Saturday, March 21 in Palm Springs [more info], Sunday, March 22 in Old Town La Quinta, and Wednesday, March 25 in Palm Desert [more info]. Certified Farmers’ Markets are listed as an essential service to remain open during the Covid-19 Crisis.
RESTRICTIONS: Trails, Golf Courses and Public Parks
As of March 24, Palm Springs City Manager David H. Ready has directed the following temporary emergency orders regarding public parks, city trails, and private golf courses:
- Certain facilities within parks will be closed, including child play equipment,
basketball, tennis and pickleball courts. Use of ball fields by groups or
individuals coordinating events or gatherings with people is also prohibited. - Parks will remain open. However, social distancing, six feet from other
people who are not in the same household is required. - Trails will remain open. However, social distancing is still required.
- All golf courses, public and private, and their ancillary use areas will be
closed, including, but not limited to, parking areas, clubhouses, driving
ranges and practice putting areas.
CLOSED: Palm Springs Animal Shelter
The Palm Springs Animal Shelter has closed their doors to the public, and are currently closed for walk-ins. However, they are still providing adoption opportunities and surrender and stray intake services by appointment only, as well as limited microchipping and vaccine support, also by appointment. Check their website, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up view available animals, and for updates on hours and availability.
NEW DATE: ANA Inspiration
The first LPGA Major of the year, the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club, has been rescheduled for September 10–13.
UPDATE: Desert Rose Playhouse
The Desert Rose Playhouse has of course canceled all performances for the remainder of their season, as have all local theatre companies. They’ve offered an update on three options for those who are holding tickets to canceled performances: Transfer it to any show in the 2020-2021 season, Donate and write it off, they will provide a donation letter, and finally Refunds, which will be delayed due to the crisis, processed within 30 days of resuming operations. More info
CANCELED: Brew at the Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has canceled their “Brew at the Zoo” event. It was originally scheduled for April 4. More info
CLOSED: Spotlight 29 and Tortoise Rock Casinos
The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians have declared a reservation-wide State of Emergency, and that it will close all non-essential enterprises including the Spotlight 29 and the Tortoise Rock Casinos.
CLOSED: Agua Caliente Casinos
Tribal leaders of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians have declared a Reservation-wide State of Emergency consistent with similar declarations by the state of California and the federal government. All Tribal enterprises including its casino resorts, golf courses and hiking areas will close: Agua Caliente Casinos in Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs, The Indian Canyons Golf Resort, and Tahquitz Canyon and Indian Canyons hiking areas.The closures will be effective through at least April 12.
CANCELED: AIDS/LifeCycle 2020
The Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation has decided to cancel the AIDS/LifeCycle for 2020, originally scheduled for May 31–June 2. They will be holding a virtual Town Hall on Monday, March 23 to answer questions. More info
CANCELED: Dining Out For Life 2020
Dining Out For Life will not take place as originally planned for April. Desert AIDS Project plans to launch a different fundraising effort to respond to the COVID-19 emergency.
CLOSED: Joslyn Senior Center
The Joslyn Center announced cancellation of Joslyn in Bloom, its 11th annual fashion show and luncheon, that was scheduled for Tuesday, April 7. The center also announced suspension of all on-site programs, activities and classes. The vital nutrition program, Meals on Wheels, and the community food pantry, Penny’s Pantry, will continue as scheduled.
CLOSED: Mizell Senior Center
Mizell Senior Center will be closed until Monday, April 27. Meals at Cafe 480 will still be available for takeout, and of course Meals on Wheels vans will continue to fan out across the Coachella Valley. More info
CLOSED: Cathedral City Senior Center
Cathedral City Senior Center is suspending all person-to-person contact and group activities, effectively closing, beginning Monday, March 16 through Friday, April 3. Reevaluation will be made at that time.
CLOSED: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has temporarily closed their public operations. The animals in their care are healthy and doing well. A core team of animal care, veterinary, facilities and operations professionals will continue to remain onsite during this temporary closure. More info
NEW DATES: Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, originally planned for April 1–4, will be celebrating their 30th Anniversary to September 16–21. For questions about hotel and ticket transfers, please visit https://thedinah.com/update
POSTPONED: Palm Canyon Theatre Season
Se Layne, the artistic director of Palm Canyon Theatre, has announced the postponement of all upcoming performances until further notice.
POSTPONED: “Every Brilliant Thing”
Dezart Performs has announced that their final production of the 2019–2020 season, Every Brilliant Thing, has been postponed to the Fall as part of their 2020–2021 season.
NEW DATE: “The Velocity of Autumn”
Coyote StageWorks has postponed their run of The Velocity of Autumn, originally scheduled for March 13–22, to be the first production of next season, now scheduled to run November 13–22. More info
Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival
The 7th Annual Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival was originally scheduled for March 22–25. It has been rescheduled for October 4–7, at Temple Isaiah and the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
NEW DATE: Palm Springs International Dance Festival
Originalyl scheduled for April 2–5, The Palm Springs International Dance Festival has been postponed until the fall, with new dates announced for October 22–25, 2020. More info
POSTPONED: LA Pride 2020
Christopher Street West (CSW) has decided to postpone all events surrounding the 50th Anniversary of the LA Pride Parade and Festival. The organization will be moving the 2020 Festival, originally scheduled for June, to a later date. They are working with the City of West Hollywood to confirm new dates.
CANCELED: Palm Springs Front Runners & Walkers Events
All club-organized social activities for the Palm Springs Front Runners & Walkers are canceled through April 30. Members who gather for informal runs or walks are strongly encouraged to follow CDC guidelines for hand washing and social distancing.
POSTPONED: Desert Winds Freedom Band Spring Concert
The Desert Winds Symphonic Band Spring Concert, “California Dreamin’,” originally scheduled for March 28, has been tentatively postponed to Saturday, November 21. Tickets will transfer to the new performance date, may be donated, or refunds by contacting info@desertwindsfb.org – More info
CANCELED: Police and Fire Appreciation Dinner
The City of Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce have canceled the April 14 Police & Fire Appreciation dinner. More info
CANCELED: PFLAG March Meeting
PFLAG Palm Springs/Desert Communities has canceled their March 15 monthly meeting, normally held on the 3rd Sunday of the month at the Cathedral City Library. They hope to be meeting again next month.
CANCELED: Faux Fur Ball
The Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter has decided not go forward with their annual Faux Fur Ball as scheduled on March 28..
NEW DATE: White Party
White Party Palm Springs (originally scheduled for late April) has been rescheduled for October 30–November 2. All tickets purchased for the April 2020 weekend will now be transferred to these new dates, or will be honored for White Party’s 2021 weekend. More info
CANCELED: Cathedral City LGBT Days
The 6th Annual Cathedral City LGBT Days Pride Celebration, including their signature Bed Race event, has been canceled (originally scheduled for March 27–29). More info
NEW DATE: Coachella and Stagecoach
These world-famous music festivals, originally set to take place in April, will now take place in the fall. Coachella Weekend One will be October 9–11, and Coachella Weekend Two will be October 16–18. The country music festival Stagecoach will take place the following weekend, October 23–25 [see revised lineup]. All purchases for the April dates will be honored for the rescheduled dates, and on Friday, March 13 refund information will be made available to purchasers who will be unable to attend in the fall. More info
CANCELED: BNP Paribas Open Tennis Tournament
BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament was set to run from March 9–22 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Anyone who has purchased tickets directly from the tournament may request a refund for the 2020 tournament, or a credit for the 2021 tournament. More info
CANCELED: 2020 NAGAAA Cup
The NAGAAA (North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance) has canceled their 2020 NAGAAA Cup softball tournament, originally set to be hosted in Palm Springs from March 27–29.
CANCELED: Palm Springs City Events, Library, VillageFest, ONE-PS and more
The City of Palm Springs has announced that VillageFest, the weekly downtown street fair, will be suspended until further notice. All ONE-PS neighborhood meetings and events, adult recreation programs, boards and commissions (except for planning), have been canceled until further notice. Beginning Friday, March 13, the Palm Springs Public Library and the Welwood Library will be closed until further notice. All indoor City public facilities are closed, plus the Swim Center and Skate Park. Outdoor parks remain open. City Council and Planning Commission meetings will take place at the Palm Springs Convention Center to better implement social distance protocols.
CLOSED: Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will temporarily close due to the risk posed by the coronavirus. The closure is effective immediately and is expected to continue at least through April 30.
NEW DATE: “The Producers”
Desert Theatreworks is postponing their 2019/2020 season, with plans to resume performances of Mel Brooks’ The Producers on April 10.
POSTPONED: “How to Survive an Apocalypse”
The Desert Ensemble Theatre Company has postponed performances of How to Survive an Apocalypse, originally scheduled for March 13–22 by at least a week. They will be in communication with all ticketholders about plans for the production, exchanges or refunds. More info
CLOSED: McCallum Theatre
The McCallum Theatre has suspended all performances scheduled through the end of April. Refunds for all performances will be available through the McCallum Theatre Box Office.
CLOSED: Sunnylands
Sunnylands Center and Gardens has closed indefinitely. As the coronavirus situation evolves, a decision on when to reopen Sunnylands will be evaluated on a weekly basis. For now, all tours of the property and public programs have been suspended. Guests who have prepaid for tours or programs will be issued refunds.
CLOSED: Palm Springs Art Museum
Palm Springs Art Museum has closed their three locations for the time being. This temporary closure includes Palm Springs Art Museum, Annenberg Theater, Persimmon Bistro & Wine Bar, as well as Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center, and The Galen in Palm Desert. The Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden at our Palm Desert location will remain open and free to the public.
CANCELED: Desert Stonewall March Meeting
Desert Stonewall Democrats have canceled their March meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 17. They will try to reschedule their program, “Celebrating International Women’s Day and women’s herstory,” for a later month. More info
POSTPONED: Striving to Thrive Town Hall
Let’s Kick ASS (AIDS Survivor Syndrome) Palm Springs has decided to postpone the upcoming Striving to Thrive town hall originally scheduled for March 21, at the Warsaw Ballroom at Temple Isaiah, Palm Springs because of coronavirus concerns. When conditions permit, a new date for the town hall will be announced. More info
NEW DATE: Rocky Horror Picture Show Interactive
Among Friends has postponed their annual Rocky Horror Picture Show Interactive Screening with cocktail party and prop sale to benefit Sanctuary Palm Springs, originally scheduled for March 18, now taking place Wednesday, May 20. Tickets for the original date will be refunded and will need to be repurchased. More info
CANCELED: Palm Desert Food & Wine
The Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival, originally scheduled for March 27–29, will not take place this year. It will return on March 26–28, 2021. More info
CANCELED: Fashion Week El Paseo
Fashion Week’s 15th Annual Event, scheduled for March 20–28, will not take place this year. It will return on March 19–27, 2021. More info
CANCELLATIONS: CalComMen Events
California Community of Men (CalComMen) has decided to cancel the following events: March 15 Movie Night, March 21 Cuddle Party, and March 22 EROS Circle Massage Group. With plenty of Purell and elbow bumps instead of hugs, they will continue to host: Weekly Coffee in Palm Springs, Long Beach and Studio City, Saturday Poolside Yoga, and Monthly Meditation Group.
CLOSED: Playrooms at CCBC
CCBC Resort Hotel has announced the closure of their interior playrooms, effective immediately, until further notice. Hotel and restaurant remain open at this time. They have canceled their weekend event, Bears on the Prowl: Get Lucky, which was set for March 13–15.
CANCELED: ONE-PS Picnic and Community Expo
The 13th Annual ONE-PS Picnic & Community Expo, originally set for Saturday, March 21 at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs has been canceled. More info
CANCELED: The Hue Music & Arts Festival
Alianza Coachella Valley is canceling The Hue Music and Arts Festival originally scheduled for Saturday, March 21, in Mecca. They are exploring the apossibility of organizing another music festival later in the year.
CANCELED: Wildflower Nature Walk
A Wildflower Nature Walk originally scheduled for March 28 at the Randall Henderson “Wash” trail at Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument has been canceled. More info
POSTPONED: NCLR Events
Two NCLR events scheduled for April 3 & 4 have been postponed in light of the uncertainty surrounding travel and the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. Both the Palm Springs Mingle (originally Friday, April 3) and Palm Springs Garden Party (originally Saturday, April 4) will be postponed. NCLR is looking into potential dates to reschedule for the fall of 2020.
POSTPONED: Transgender Day of Visibility
The Trans Community Project has postponed the Transgender Day of Visibility in the Coachella Valley, originally scheduled for April 4. More info
POSTPONED: Indian Wells Arts Festival
The 18th Annual Indian Wells Arts Festival, originally set for April 3–5, has been canceled with hopes to reschedule for later in the year. More info
CANCELED: UC Riverside Palm Desert Events
UC Riverside Palm Desert is not hosting events through April 3, which includes the cancellation of their 2020 Awards Reception for scholarship recipients.
POSTPONED: Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus
The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus has postponed “Cassini,” a commissioned work originally set for April 24–26. More info
POSTPONED: Palm Springs International Film Society Events
The Palm Springs International Film Society has decided to postpone all film society events through April. They are continuing as planned for ShortFest in June, moving tickets and pass sales to May 1 instead of April. More infoTake Precautions But Don’t Stop Going Out
Of course we encourage you to remain abreast of the Coronavirus COVID-19 situation, and [this FAQ] from Desert AIDS Project answers some of the most common concerns people are having about the virus threat and prevention, saying “It is completely safe to be in public with others!” There is no need to stop going out, and in fact, we encourage you to continue to support our local restaurants and other businesses. Just take these effective precautions:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick – keep a six foot distance.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Sneeze / cough into your elbow—not your hand.