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Happy Thursday Coachella Valley Seniors!
The valley is making a strong case for itself this week, free outdoor concerts, legendary mariachi, world-class piano, and a cliffside restaurant with views that do half the work for you.
Spring is putting on its best show before summer takes over, and we've rounded up everything worth circling on your calendar. Let's get into it.
The Graduation Gift They Will Replay Forever: A Custom Song Written for Your Senior
Graduation only happens once, and it deserves something more than a gift card. Songs for Your Story takes your senior's name, memories, and inside jokes and crafts them into a fully custom, professionally produced song. Play it at the party, drop it behind the slideshow, or just send it to them on the big day. Give them something nobody else will think to give.
Country, pop, hip-hop, ballads. You pick the style. They handle everything else.
Before you decide, go to songsforyourstory.com/graduation and hit play on any song. Just 30 seconds. You will be blown away.
Starting at $49. Graduation season only.
Thank you to our sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the community. 🙏
🛍️ Palm Springs VillageFest | Palm Canyon Drive | Palm Springs | 04/17 | More
The beloved Thursday night street fair returns with artisan vendors, food, and live entertainment along Palm Canyon Drive. Free, 6 to 10 p.m. — last few weeks of the season before summer.
😂 Nicky Paris Comedy Show | Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs | Palm Springs | 04/17 | More
Sharp, fast, and fearless stand-up from rising comedian Nicky Paris at the Cascade Lounge inside Agua Caliente Palm Springs. Friday night, tickets required.
🎺 Mariachazo 2026: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán & Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Special Events Center | Indio | 04/17 | More
For the first time in history, two of Mexico's greatest mariachi institutions share one stage in a once-in-a-generation celebration of tradition and culture. Friday, 8 p.m.
🎸 Rock Yard Free Live Music: Crosby Stills Nash & Young Tribute | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino | Indio | 04/17 | More
The outdoor Rock Yard fires up Friday night with a tribute to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Free admission, 18+, live in the desert air.
🥬 Rancho Mirage Certified Farmers Market | Rancho Mirage | Rancho Mirage | 04/17 | More
Fresh local produce, chef-prepared foods, and artisan vendors every Friday through late May. Free, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
🎭 Kiss of the Spider Woman | Palm Canyon Theatre | Palm Springs | 04/17–04/23 | More
Terrence McNally's daring and poignant musical about love and survival in a South American prison runs through the month at Palm Springs' beloved community theater. Check the site for showtimes and tickets.
🤘 Rock Yard Free Live Music: John Fogerty/CCR Tribute with Know Illusion | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino | Indio | 04/18 | More
Saturday night the Rock Yard rolls on with a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute. Free, outdoors, 18+, and one of the best free nights of live music in the east valley.
🌿 Palm Springs Certified Farmers Market | Downtown Palm Springs | Palm Springs | 04/18 | More
Fresh produce, artisan cheese, locally grown flowers, humanely raised meats, and baked goods at the weekly Palm Springs market. Saturday morning, free to browse.
🚗 Coachella Valley Cars & Guitars Show and Sale | Dune Room | Indio | 04/18–04/19 | More
The first-ever Cars & Guitars Show brings together classic automobiles and vintage guitars for a weekend of browsing and desert cool. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
🎻 Yuja Wang with Mahler Chamber Orchestra | McCallum Theatre | Palm Desert | 04/21 | More
One of the world's most dazzling pianists takes the McCallum stage Tuesday evening with the celebrated Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Prokofiev and jazz-era Russian classics on the program. 8 p.m., tickets from $132.
🪗 Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain: 40th Anniversary Tour | McCallum Theatre | Palm Desert | 04/23 | More
Seven virtuosos with seven ukuleles take on everything from Beethoven to Bowie, it's absurdly brilliant and one of the most fun evenings you'll have at McCallum all season. Thursday, 7 p.m., tickets from $84.
🎨 The gallery that makes it easy to live with art
If you've walked El Paseo and wondered what it would actually take to bring a piece of it home, Imago Galleries has been answering that question for over three decades. This established Palm Desert gallery represents more than 50 contemporary artists, painters, sculptors, and photographers whose work spans the bold and the quietly beautiful, and the staff has a genuine gift for matching people with pieces they'll still love ten years from now.
What makes Imago worth a visit beyond the art itself is how unhurried the whole experience feels. There's no pressure, no hustle, and no pretense. You can spend an hour looking at original paintings and limited-edition prints starting in the few hundred dollar range, or you can simply wander and absorb a Saturday afternoon in one of the prettiest gallery spaces on the strip.
Spring is one of the best times to visit, the seasonal collection is fully installed, and El Paseo itself is at its most walkable. Imago is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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🍽️ The valley view that comes with dinner is free
78250 Highway 111, La Quinta
Nestled cliffside in the heart of the desert, La Quinta Cliffhouse has been a local favorite for years, one of those places that feels like a genuine find even after you've been going for a decade. Jutting from a massive rock outcropping above the desert floor, it's renowned for its spectacular views across the valley, with a menu of American classics built around premium steaks and fresh seafood.
The outdoor patio, with a flowing waterfall, a massive stone fireplace, and the Santa Rosa Mountains framing the whole thing, is exactly the kind of setting that makes an ordinary Tuesday feel like a special occasion. On the menu you'll find things like clams in Calabrian chili garlic butter, a California halibut ceviche with aji amarillo and avocado, and a scallop dish with parmesan-amaretto sauce and herbed breadcrumb, all paired with an award-winning wine list and creative cocktails.
Happy hour runs daily with drink and menu specials, and on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the kitchen stays open until 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended for dinner, especially on weekends. Open Monday through Sunday from 3:30 p.m.
Got a favorite local haunt?
Reply and tell us where we should go for the best early bird special or the perfect sunset patio.
A Wave Pool Is Coming to Palm Desert, and It's Almost Here
DSRT Surf, the valley's first surf resort, is on track to open in early summer 2026 at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert. The centerpiece is a 5.5-acre surf lagoon powered by Wavegarden Cove technology, capable of producing consistent machine-made waves for beginners and experienced surfers alike, about 100 miles from the nearest ocean. Beyond surfing, the complex will also offer pickleball courts, a swimming pool, yoga classes, a restaurant, and a skate bowl. Keep an eye on their site for an opening announcement and pricing.
The Tramway's Mountain Station Is Worth a Midweek Visit
Most people know the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway as a weekend bucket-list item, but the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet is genuinely wonderful on a weekday, fewer crowds, the same 40-degree temperature drop, and the same jaw-dropping Coachella Valley views. The Ride 'n' Dine dinner package includes a round-trip tram ride and a meal at Elevations Restaurant, making it a full evening for around $50 per person. Worth every penny, especially before the summer heat sends everyone indoors.
The Valley's 40-Mile Trail Is Fully Open, Have You Tried It?
CV Link was substantially completed in June 2025 and is now managed by CVAG in collaboration with member jurisdictions across the valley. The West Valley segment alone runs 19.63 miles, beginning at the Palm Springs Visitor Center along the Whitewater River and ending at Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City. The pathway features a dual-path structure, a broad concrete lane for cyclists and low-speed electric vehicles alongside a narrower decomposed granite trail for pedestrians and runners, with shade structures, water stations, benches, and solar-powered LED lights throughout. Spring mornings are the perfect time to get on it before summer arrives.
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Enjoy the desert blooms, CV. We'll see you next Thursday.👋
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