It’s officially spring, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.
Whether you’re looking for an air-conditioned event or you’re willing to brave the heat for an hour or two in the name of entertainment, we’ve got a few ideas for how to spend your free time this week.
Here are The Desert Sun’s picks for the top events to attend the week of Monday, March 23 in the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities.
If you’d like to submit an upcoming event of your own for a future 10 things to do roundup, see the bottom of this article for directions.
Desert TheatreWorks presents ‘Beehive: The 60’s Musical’
In need of a musical walk down memory lane? “Beehive” is a celebration of “the powerful female voices of the 1960s,” as the theater’s website says. “This musical review will transport audiences with timeless hits such as ‘My Boyfriend’s Back,’ ‘Son of a Preacher Man,’ and ‘You Don’t Own Me.’ The story is told through the lens of six women as they sing their way through 40 of the most iconic songs of this impactful decade. Featuring the music of Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Janis Joplin, this toe-tapping, nonstop musical will have audiences dancing in their seats!”
When: Now through Saturday, April 11 (see website below for all showtimes)
Where: Desert TheatreWorks, 45-175 Fargo St., Indio
Cost: $46.50
More info: showpass.com/the-cher-show/
‘Beetlejuice’ musical at McCallum Theatre
What better way to honor the late Catherine O’Hara than by attending the live musical version of Tim Burton’s beloved film she starred in? This laugh-out-loud production, as the theater’s website says, “tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. … under its uproarious surface (six feet under, to be exact), it’s a remarkably touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O!”
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 24; 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 25; 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26; 8 p.m. Friday, March 27; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 28; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29
Where: McCallum Theatre, 73-000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert
Cost: From $65
More info: mccallumtheatre.org/productions/beetlejuice/
AmDocs, aka American Documentary andAnimation Film Festival 2026
The Oscars have come and gone, but I know how to get you your fix, cinephiles. The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) returns to Palm Springs this week, and the film lineup is stacked with engaging stories. It all kicks off Wednesday with an opening night program featuring music video “Veil,” animated shorts “The Boy Who Cheated Death” and “Whale 52,” and documentary shorts “Eructation,” “Escape,” “Gabe’s Last Leg” “Good Boy,” “Mookie, Mo & Me” and “Sheila: Between Two Winds.” On Sunday, the festival wraps up with closing night film “Sell Your House,” which documents the true story behind indie darling “The Last Stop in Yuma County” and what it took to get that film made: “the chaos, the pressure, and a friendship getting stress-tested in real time while the cameras are rolling,” as the press release states.
When: Wednesday, March 25-Sunday, March 29
Where: Camelot Theatres at Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road; and The Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, both in Palm Springs
Cost: $75 for a two-day, all-access pass, $90 for a three-day, all-access pass, $155 for a flex express pass for (nearly) the entire festival, or the $179 all-access, aka “The Big Deal” pass
More info: amdocfilmfest.com
Revolution Stage Company presents ‘JBKO’
Take a deep dive into an American icon’s life in this one-woman play written by Tom Santopietro and starring the critically acclaimed Yo Younger. “This captivating theatrical event delves deep into the life and legacy of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, revealing the resilient woman behind the globally recognized image of grace and style,” the theater’s website says. “More than just a historical recounting, JBKO is a vivid psychological portrait. The play takes audiences behind the sealed doors of the White House and beyond, exploring Jacqueline’s astonishing journey from a bookish debutante to the world’s most photographed woman.”
When: Friday, March 27-Sunday, March 29 (see website below for specific times)
Where: Revolution Stage Company, 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Cost: $43
More info: revolutionstagecompany.com
Indio Food Truck Fridays
Enjoy a weeky tradition in the heart of Indio. Food Truck Fridays continues this week, and the vendor lineup changes regularly, so it’ll never be the same experience twice. Expect returning favorites and new eateries at this family and pet-friendly event. After you grab some dinner or a sweet treat, head down the street to Victoria’s Cafe for some live music.
When: 5-10 p.m. every Friday (including Friday, March 27)
Where: The corner of Towne Street and Bliss Avenue in downtown Indio
Cost: Free admission, various items available for purchase
More info: indio.org
Bourbon Tasting with Donnis Todd
Want to kick off your weekend with a little buzz? Head to this no-reservations-needed bourbon tasting with Donnis Todd, master distiller at Garrison Brothers Distillery. Guests can purchase a tasting card for $10 and taste the Agua Caliente private label single barrels (3 total) from Garrison Brothers and learn what it takes to make bourbon.
When: 6-9 p.m. Friday, March 27
Where: Pívat Cigar Lounge at Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage
Cost: $10
More info: aguacalientecasinos.com
2026 Newish Shakespeare Festival
Green Room Theatre Co.’s Shakespeare Festival kicked off last week with several Palm Desert showings of “Como Te Gusta (As Ya’ll Like It)” and will continue this week with several more traveling modern adaptations of Shakespearean productions. This week continues with showings of both “Como Te Gusta” (“a lively bilingual reimagining of ‘As You Like It’ set in the Sonoran Desert, and directed by Green Room Theatre Company’s Founding Artistic Director David Catanzarite,” as the press release notes) as well as “American Moor” (a “powerful, one-man drama that follows a seasoned Black actor auditioning for the role of Othello, confronting both Shakespeare’s text and the unspoken biases of the classical theatre world”). If you can’t make any of the Cathedral City or Desert Hot Springs shows, look up the upcoming Indio shows at the website below.
When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 27 (“American Moor”), 1 (“American Moor”) and 7 p.m. (“Como Te Gusta”) Saturday, March 28 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 29 (“Como Te Gusta”)
Where: St. John’s Episcopal Church, 45-319 Deglet Noor St., Indio
Cost: Desert Hot Springs shows $20 per person, Cathedral City shows free for city residents who bring a non-perishable food item to support the senior center’s food bank
More info: grtccv.org/2026-shakespeare-festival/
High Desert Art Fair
Looking for an artsy high-desert getaway? The High Desert Art Fair in Pioneertown offers two days of exhibits at “20 galleries, a concert headlined by Mark Mothersbaugh of DEVO at Pappy & Harriet’s, and a launch party with a DJ set by Shepard Fairey,” as the press release states. Expect “curated exhibitions from leading galleries and desert artists, intimate gallery rooms transformed into immersive viewing spaces, artist talks, book signings, and special daytime programming,” the website adds. Note: Your pass gives you full access to all events held across the Pioneertown Motel those two days.
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29
Where: Pioneertown Motel, 5240 Curtis Road, Pioneertown
Cost: General admission (2-day ticket) $33.85 per person
More info: highdesertartfair.com
Palm Springs Opera Guild Presents Opera in the Park
Don’t listen to Timothée Chalamet. Plenty of people care about opera, and many live right here in the very desert. In fact, it’s time for that audience’s favorite event of the spring: Opera in the Park. This free annual concert “showcases beloved opera arias, duets, and ensembles performed by six accomplished opera professionals,” the website states. “Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic (or pre-order dinner — see website for details) and enjoy a day of breathtaking music.” Note: Limited reserved seating space is available for purchase, or if you’re OK with bringing your own blanket or chairs, the evening will be entirely free.
When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29
Where: Sunrise Park, 480 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs
Cost: Free admission
More info: palmspringsoperaguild.org
Marshall Charloff & The Purple xPeRIeNCE at Plaza Theater Palm Springs
Ready to fight the urge to scream the lyrics to “Purple Rain” at full volume? Celebrated Minneapolis All-Star Band, Marshall Charloff & The Purple xPeRIeNCE, self-described as “the world’s premier tribute to PRINCE,” is headed to The Plaza Theatre this Sunday. The group, which has been touring globally for over a decade, has reached milestones such as “starring in their own Las Vegas residency, headlining Red Rocks Amphitheater, fronting the world’s finest symphonies, and being featured on albums with Prince, Marshall has dominated the world stage as the most authentic Prince tribute artist,” as the venue website says.
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, March 29
Where: The Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Cost: From $39.10
More info: palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/
To submit an event for The Desert Sun’s consideration in future 10 things to do stories, send an email to niki.kottmann@desertsun.com with the time, date, location and price of admission for your event, as well as a brief event description, two weeks before the event is scheduled to take place. Photos are not required, but are highly encouraged as part of the submission.
Tip: Send your submission as early as possible to make sure we have it in time, and to make sure your event jumps out in our inbox, put “10 things to do submission” in the email subject line.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 10 things to do in Palm Springs this week, from musicals to AmDocs
Reporting by Niki Kottmann, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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