This week, desert communities in both the Coachella Valley and the high desert are hosting an array of cultural events — as well as our neighbors up the mountain — so if you’re brave enough to leave the air conditioning of your home, this is the guide for you.
Our events roundup for this week features everything from Juneteenth celebrations to a Native American arts festival, and many of the events are free or fairly inexpensive.
So, without further ado, here’s our picks for the top things to do in the Coachella Valley and surrounding area Monday, June 16 through Sunday, June 22. (And if you’d like to submit an upcoming event of your own for a future roundup, see the bottom of this article for directions.)
Artist Sandra Jones Campbell presents ‘Roundup and Other Social Scenes’
Painter Sandra Jones Campbell is currently showcasing her work at the Morongo Valley restaurant and event venue Spaghetti Western through Aug. 31. The collection features both prints and originals inspired by the Pendleton Round-Up, a major annual rodeo at Pendleton in northeastern Oregon, as well as paintings from her 2024 series “Every soul is a circus.” If you’re looking to grab something to eat in the high desert this weekend, consider swinging by for dinner with a side of visual art.
When: Now through Aug. 31 (on view during the restaurant’s business hours)
Where: Spaghetti Western, 50-048 29 Palms Highway, Morongo Valley
Cost: Free to view, with food and drink available for purchase at the restaurant
More info: spaghettiwesternsaloon.com
Idyllwild Arts Native American Arts Festival Week
The Idyllwild Arts Native American Arts Festival Week kicks off Monday at the Idyllwild Arts campus and will be led by Executive Director Shaliyah Ben (Diné). The “week-long celebration, held every summer for more than two decades, is organized to enhance the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program through a variety of Native American arts-focused activities,” as the press release states. Activities include a the art exhibit “Renegades of Art,” tastings of traditional Native cuisine, the Michael Kabotie Lecture Series, a curated evening of film, the Welcoming Home the Birds event, and a staged reading of the latest play by three-time U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (Mvskoke) featuring Jazz trumpetist Delbert Anderson (Diné).
When: There will be a “Renegades of Art” exhibit panel at 7 p.m. followed by a Native Foods Taste Testing at 7:45 p.m. Monday, June 16; a lecture by Ruth Ann Thorn at noon on Tuesday, June 17; a lecture by Ossie at noon on Wednesday, June 18; a staged reading of “We Were There When Jazz Was invented” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18; a lecture by Kinsale Drake at noon on Thursday, June 19; a screening of “Indian Alley” at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19; and finally a Welcoming Home of the Birds event at 5 p.m. Friday, June 20
Where: Idyllwild Arts Academy, 52-500 Temecula Road #38, Idyllwild
Cost: Free admission to all events
More info: idyllwildarts.org/events
Broadway Showstoppers Series with Glenn Rosenblum Part I: ‘Celebrating Broadway Musicals of the 1970s’
Coachella Valley Repertory’s 2024-25 season is over, but the summer is just heating up, and so is cabaret season. This Tuesday, theater fans can check out the return of Glenn Rosenblum’s popular Broadway Showstoppers series at CV Rep, which will feature special guests Gregg Sherman (son and nephew of Disney composers Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman) and Ilene Graff (Grammy Award- nominated actress, singer, teacher). This show will honor several beloved musicals of the 1970s, such as “Over Here!,” “I Love My Wife,” “Purlie,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Sugar Babies” and more. Can’t make it Tuesday? No problem, because Tony-nominated actress and singer Sally Mayes will headline her own cabaret show on Thursday.
When: Glenn Rosenblum’s show is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, and Mayes’ is at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 19
Where: Coachella Valley Repertory, 68-510 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City
Cost: $60
More info: cvrep.org
Palm Desert Aquatic Center’s Hot Summer Nights and Dive-In Movie Nights
One of the desert’s hottest dancefloors might just be at a public pool (this summer, at least). Head to the Palm Desert Aquatic Center this Friday to experience all the center’s typical amenities — open recreational swimming, water slides, diving boards, an obstacle course, a rope swing, and the newly expanded Hot Spot Cafe menu — as well as the return of its popular summer night swim and dance party event series. Note: The center is also hosting its first screening of the 2025 Dive-In Movie Nights series this Friday, and gates open at 7:30 p.m. The movie — “Sonic 3” — begins at sundown.
When: Hot Summer Nights takes place 7:30-10:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays (including June 17 and 20) and the next Dive-In Movie Night is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 20
Where: Palm Desert Aquatic Center, 73-751 Magnesia Falls Drive, Palm Desert
Cost: Hot Summer Nights admission is $9 per adult, $7 per youth or senior (age 6-12 and 60+) and $5.75 per “junior” (age 2-5); Dive-In Movies admission is $8 per person, with no charge for children under 2
More info: pdpool.com
Concert In the Park: Tribute to Kool & the Gang
Juneteenth, a holiday that takes place every June 19, represents Independence Day for African Americans. People across the country recognize and honor this day by celebrating the emancipation of people who were enslaved dating back to June 19, 1865, and the city of Palm Springs is marking the occasion with several public events. One of these events is a free concert in the Downtown Park to celebrate the music of American R&B, soul and funk band Kool & the Gang.
When: 7 p.m. Friday, June 20
Where: Downtown Park, Museum Way and Belardo Road, Palm Springs
Cost: Free admission
More info: palmspringsca.gov
Friday Night Lights in 29 Palms
If you’re looking for the perfect excuse for a high-desert getaway, this might be your sign. Every Friday night this summer, several small businesses in Twentynine Palms will stay open until 8 p.m., giving locals and visitors alike the chance to grab a bite under the stars, or shop until the sun has long past set. Participating eateries and watering holes include: 29 Palms Beer Co., 3rd Libra Wellness Lounge, GRND SQRL, Hi-Desert Daydream, Hi-Desert Times Magazine, Scorpion Lollipop, Sun of the Desert, White Label Vinyl, Very Very and more.
When: Various opening times (check organizer’s website below for each store’s hours) and running until 8 p.m. Fridays (including Friday, June 20)
Where: Various Twentynine Palms businesses
Cost: Free to browse, with various items — including bites and drinks — available for purchase
More info: rediscover29.com/pages/friday-night-lights
Palm Springs Summer (Indoor) Farmers Market
Just because the summer heat has descended upon the Coachella Valley doesn’t mean you can’t shop for fresh produce at the farmers market. The original Palm Springs Certified Farmers Market has moved indoors at the Palm Springs Pavilion for the season, and still features California-grown fresh food products, chef demonstrations and entertainment.
When: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, June 21 (this is the first day of the indoor market this season)
Where: Inside the Palm Springs Pavilion, 401 S. Pavilion Way, Palm Springs
Cost: Free admission, with items for purchase
More info: certifiedfarmersmarkets.org
Juneteenth Freedom Weekend: Film Screening of ‘Racist Trees’
The Palm Springs Juneteenth Freedom Weekend events continue with this special screening of “Racist Trees” presented in collaboration with the Palm Springs Black History Committee. “Racist Trees” is a documentary, as the museum website says, that follows local residents as they fight to remove large tamarisk trees from a historically Black neighborhood in Palm Springs. Many believe these trees were intentionally planted to segregate and exclude members of the community, so the film explores how landscape and policy intersect with issues of racial injustice.
When: 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday, June 21
Where: Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs
Cost: Free
More info: psmuseum.org/events
MTU’s Broadway Block Party 2025 Dinner Series
Come enjoy a three-course dinner paired with a fully staged Broadway Revue by Musical Theatre University’s “singing servers” and a celebrated Broadway guest star at this special dinner show. Come support local youth in the performing arts and give some business to a local restaurant during the slow season.
When: 5 p.m. seating Sunday, June 22 (as well as June 29)
Where: Willie’s Modern Fare, 69-830 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage
Cost: $68 per person (includes dinner and the show)
More info: musicaltheatreuniversity.com/events
Juneteenth Unity Picnic
The City of Palm Springs Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting this free picnic to celebrate what Juneteenth is all about: freedom, community, and unity. Head to the Palm Springs Downtown Park to listen to live music, eat some great food, and enjoy other activities for all ages.
When: 5-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21
Where: Downtown Park, Museum Way and Belardo Road, Palm Springs
Cost: Free admission
More info: palmspringsca.gov
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. 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 story was updated to fix a typo.)
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 10 things to do in the Coachella Valley this week, June 16-22
Reporting by Niki Kottmann, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
