Indio: Greater Palm Springs' Premier City of Festivals
Long before the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival thrust Indio into the global spotlight, this city pulsed with a vibrant festival spirit. Combining deep cultural pride and its prime location with near-year-round sunshine, Indio naturally draws crowds for shared celebrations and communal joy.
Boasting historic landmarks and expansive outdoor venues, Indio earns its title as Greater Palm Springs' City of Festivals—offering events tailored to every interest and taste.
Cabazon Indio Pow Wow | November
Each fall, the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians hosts a powwow on their Indio reservation, inviting the public to join in honoring time-honored traditions. Centered on dance, the event features open social Intertribals alongside competitions in categories rooted in spiritual ceremonies, war preparations, healing rituals, and victory celebrations.
This family-friendly, three-day gathering includes bird singing, drum contests, peon games, and authentic Native cuisine like Indian fry bread. Shop the vibrant bazaar for tribal jewelry, weavings, dream catchers, and other handmade crafts.
Indio International Tamale Festival | December
Immerse yourself in a weekend of tamales made from generational family recipes as old as Indio itself. Sample classics like pork, jalapeño cheese, and beef, plus innovative dessert varieties filled with fruit, dates, preserves, and jam.
Predict the winners among nearly 100 entries, or test your skills in the tamale-eating contest. Recognized by the Food Network as one of the top 10 "All-American Food Festivals," it also holds a Guinness World Record for the largest tamale—over 1 foot in diameter and 40 feet long—from 1999.
The Southwest Arts Festival | January
For more than 30 years, this premier event at the Empire Polo Club showcases 250 accomplished artists in traditional, contemporary, and abstract works. Explore media like clay, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and textiles. Named one of the "Top 100 Events in North America" by the American Bus Association and featured in Destinations Magazine.
Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival | February
Launched in 1921—before Indio's incorporation— this festival celebrates dates, once an exotic import that thrived locally. Enjoy them deep-fried, on hot dogs, or in the iconic date shake.
Spanning 10 days, it features carnival rides, live performances by stars like KC and the Sunshine Band, Trace Adkins, and Sheila E.; the crowning of Queen Scheherazade; and educational exhibits on local history.
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival | April
Goldenvoice's early '90s Pearl Jam concert at Empire Polo Fields sparked it all. Indio's vast spaces allow simultaneous performances under the desert sun.
Now a global pilgrimage, Coachella draws fans for top acts across genres: Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Cure, Coldplay, Nine Inch Nails, Snoop Dogg, Paul McCartney, The Black Keys, and Prince. Iconic food vendors offer Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches, gourmet fried chicken and waffles, hydro-java lattes, and specialty donuts. Camping culture thrives, alongside cutting-edge art installations by artists like Philip K. Smith III and R&R Studios.
Stagecoach Country Music Festival | April
Launched in 2007, Stagecoach is country music's Coachella. Embracing the lifestyle, attendees in RVs tailgate with BBQ, funnel cakes, and corn dogs amid 80,000 daily visitors in cowboy hats, denim, and boots.
Stars like Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, and Hank Williams Jr. perform across stages, blending mainstream, bluegrass, rockabilly, and alternative country.
