Throughout the history of the universe, even in the most extreme conditions, life has always found a way to exist on Earth. But what about on other planets? An annual convention coming to Indian Wells explores that very topic.
Contact in the Desert returns May 29 through June 2 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. Led by “Captain” Ron Janix, host of the podcast “Beyond Contact,” the convention will include a number of speakers, panels, live podcast recordings, vendors and more.
This year’s theme is Event Horizon, and many panels and lectures will be focused on what’s to come for humans.
“We’re on the cusp of possibly getting to government disclosure,” Janix said. “Artificial intelligence has a big role (in this year’s convention).”
Here’s what you need to know about Contact in the Desert 2025.
Speaker lineup includes Josh Gates from ‘Expedition Unknown’
Contact in the Desert returns for its third year under the leadership of Janix, who has assembled a stacked lineup of diverse speakers to discuss planetary discoveries, artificial intelligence and more.
“That’s one of the biggest challenges we have because there’s so many interesting speakers out there and we’d love to have them all back every year, but you can’t put on the same show every year,” Janix said.
This year’s keynote speaker is Josh Gates from the long-running series “Expedition Unknown.” On the show, Gates travels around the world to find lost cities, buried treasure, unsolved secrets and other wonders on this planet. Janix said the television host will be discussing discoveries made at the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell is a neuropsychiatrist and internationally recognized expert on autism and savant syndrome. At the convention, she’ll be discussing her work studying non-verbal autistic children who demonstrate telepathic abilities with their parents or caregivers. This research is also featured on the podcast “The Telepathy Tapes” hosted by Ky Dickens.
“We try to get things that are new like that,” Janix said referring to Powell’s work. “That’s a new thing that I’ve never heard about until she came along eight months ago.”
Other highlights from the lineup include Ross Coulthart, an Australia-based journalist who reported claims from a government contractor who alleged he helped the military retrieve UFO technology; George Noory, host of the nationally syndicated program Coast to Coast AM, who captivates audiences with stories of paranormal phenomena, time travel, alien abductions, conspiracies and other unexplained mysteries; George Knapp, an Edward R. Murrow-award-winning investigative journalist; Richard Dolan, who is among the world’s leading UFO historians; and several podcast hosts.
Lectures, panels, podcast recordings also on lineup
Each day of Contact in the Desert comes with several activities for attendees to choose from.
Those hoping to learn something from experts and enthusiasts can check out a multitude of lectures offered on a variety of subjects. Some of the topics include an introduction to artificial intelligence, parallels between near-death experiences and abductions, telepathic communication with people or beings off-planet, UFO incidents and more. Guests can also sign up for workshops with their preferred speakers.
Panels also offer attendees a chance to dive into several topics, such as Unidentified Submerged Objects, reports of UFOs over nuclear facilities and alien sightings from ancient times.
Podcasts will have a big presence at the convention this year as well. Among the live shows that fans will be able to see include Need to Know with Coulthart and Bryce Zabel, Last Podcast on the Left with Marcus Parks and Henry Zebrowski and UFO Garage with Ben Jinkins and Joe Strelsky.
There are also special events that are available for purchase (in addition to a Contact in the Desert pass). One such opportunity is a stargazing excursion with researcher Ben Hansen and astronomer and Mutual UFO Network’s Chief Photo/Video Analyst Marc D’Antonio, where attendees will be shuttled away from the city lights to take in the glowing night’s sky. Another expedition takes attendees to Landers to see Giant Rock, the largest free-standing boulder in North America (some also say the world), as well as the all-wooded Integratron for a sound bath.
A full list of events can be found at https://contactinthedesert.com/buy-tickets/special-events/
How to purchase tickets for Contact in the Desert
Those interested in attending Contact in the Desert have a variety of pass options to choose from.
One-day passes are available and prices vary depending on the day. Admission on Thursday, May 29, is free, while other days range from $79 to $179. Those who want to take part in the action every day can purchase a five-day pass for $499 online.
There are two all-access passes available for patrons who want to take their convention experience to the next level. The Galactic Pass costs $799 online and includes all lectures, workshops, intensives, front of line seating, community events, 50% off ticketed events, a personalized lanyard and access to purchase meal packages. The Interstellar Pass, which costs $1,179 online, includes all the Galactic perks, as well as a four-day meal buffet package.
Passes can be purchased at https://contactinthedesert.com/buy-tickets/
Is there life on Mars, or other planets?
That’s the million-dollar question that humans have been trying to answer for centuries.
NASA’s exoplanet program aims to find signs of life on a planet somewhere in the universe. While scientists and researchers haven’t found “the one” yet — that search could take several more decades, NASA states — much has been discovered over the years. The galaxy is full of exoplanets, planets that are located around other stars, and many of them are small, rocky worlds that are of a similar size and likely similar composition to Earth. What’s needed to better understand these planets and others is a larger imaging telescope, which NASA reports the designs are already underway.
Janix said he hasn’t personally come into contact with any extraterrestrials, but hearing other people’s alleged experiences seeing UFOs is “fascinating.” He’s been interested in the UFO/paranormal community since childhood, but he said he still approaches the topic with a healthy bit of skepticism.
“My lane is right in the middle. My podcast, ‘Beyond Contact,’ that’s sort of our lane,” he said. “I am very skeptical, but I’m also very open-minded. I don’t like to dismiss these things out of hand because I definitely believe there’s something more to this.”
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Contact in the Desert returns to Indian Wells this week. What to know about UFO convention
Reporting by Ema Sasic, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
