Ghanaian artist Serge Attukwei Clottey’s installation from Desert X 2021 in Palm Springs is among those that have remained installed after the event wrapped. The event returns this month with new, frequently impermanent installations.
PHOTO BY LANCE GERBER
Fire of Georgia
March 1 / Georgian folk dancers at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert present a performance packed with breathtaking acrobatics and stunts.
Hitting New Heights
March 2 / Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz shared the Broadway stage in Hamilton and In the Heights. The pair unite again at the McCallum.
Kalin & Jinger
March 2–4 / Known for vanishing a jumbo jet, husband-and-wife illusionists Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh bring their mind-blowing tricks to Marvyn’s Magic Theater in La Quinta.
Bronco
March 3 / Hear the Mexican music group’s pop-influenced, contemporary take on the traditional norteño sound at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Michael Feinstein & Jean-Yves Thibaudet
March 3 / These renowned pianists perform the work of George Gershwin — including a selection of previously lost and unknown compositions — in this McCallum show.
Saul Trujillo
March 3 / This Sacramento Comedy Competition champion keeps audience members at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs laughing with tales from his hilariously awkward life.
Time Out!
March 3 / Music group Los Jubilados celebrate high-spirited tunes from the Baroque era with dulcians, a harpsichord, and other Old World instruments at the Artist Center at The Galen in Palm Desert.
Cathedral City LGBT Days
March 3–5 / Party with drag queens at a Champagne brunch, watch decorated beds parade down the street, and live out loud during this Pride event in downtown Cathedral City.
FEATURED EVENT: DESERT X
March 4–May 7
Every other spring, Coachella Valley residents start to notice new structures dotting our desert’s vast expanse. Since 2017, these thought-provoking — often massive and immersive — art installations have appeared among the Sonoran’s creosote and desert scrub and in our developed areas. They remain in place for a few months, drawing hundreds of thousands of curious visitors. Then, most disappear without a trace.
Months of planning and labor are necessary to pull off this mega-scale magic trick.
“The process takes about two to three years for each project,” explains Jenny Gil, executive director of Desert X.
The exhibition’s art director, Neville Wakefield, works with a co-curator to select artists from around the world, inviting them to come explore the desert and respond with a proposal for an art piece. If accepted, the artists begin their projects in their studios and then build and install them at their assigned sites with a production team.
Visitors will find the exhibition map on the Desert X app (and can pick up a paper copy at the Desert X hub at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs) to navigate the captivating works in situ.
For 2023, Wakefield and co-curator Diana Campbell prioritized projects that confront social and economic changes wrought by climate change and globalization. This year’s Desert X is a study in extremes — it considers, for example, flooding in South Asia while California gasps through a drought.
Each artist featured in the exhibition holds a reputation for wave-making in the art world.
Yet the beauty of Desert X, Gil believes, is its potential “to bring contemporary art to larger audiences that wouldn’t normally walk up the stairs to go into a museum.” And that remains, long after the works have departed.
Ana Gabriel
March 4 / The determined women in Mexican musician Ana Gabriel’s love songs run counter to the passive objects of affection in traditional baladas. Hear the difference at Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms.
Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival
March 4 / Every spring, wildflowers transform our desert into a spectacular riot of color. Celebrate the season — and support local conservation efforts — at this free fest at Palm Desert’s Civic Center Park.
Sammy Hagar & Friends
March 4 / Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar rocks the stage at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage — and gives back by raising donations to support Coachella Valley food banks.
Slim Man
March 4 / Local soul singer Slim Man has clinched the title of Best Jazz Vocalist in the Coachella Valley Music Awards five years in a row. He plays at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert.
It’s Magic!
March 5 / Magic Castle creator Milt Larsen and his co-host Terry Hill emcee an evening of breathtaking tricks from some of the country’s finest conjurers at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
Palm Springs Vintage Market
March 5 / From perfectly worn-in band tees to mid-mod TV stands, a plethora of retro finds are yours to discover at this monthly market at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
March 6 / The McCallum presents this London-born string group that helped to revive interest in Baroque music in the British Isles.
Mike Pompeo
March 6 / Former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo reflects upon his approach to foreign policy in a lecture at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells.
BNP Paribas Open
March 6–19 / This tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden brings the world’s best tennis players to the desert for singles and doubles competition.
Folk Legends
March 7 / Former Coca-Cola musical ambassadors The Limeliters take to the McCallum Theatre stage alongside folk-pop group The Kingston Trio for a night of twangy tunes in Palm Desert.
Legendary mood music maker and label head Herb Alpert will play the McCallum on March 7.
COURTESY MCCALLUM THEATRE
Herb Alpert & Lani Hall
March 7 / The husband-and-wife duo hold 10 Grammys between them. The pair bring their jazzy chart toppers to the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
Jimmy Buffett
March 7 / Jimmy Buffett honed his beachy sound while working as first mate on a yacht in Key West. Hear the musician and his Coral Reefer Band live at Acrisure Arena.
Jon Secada
March 8 / Accompanied by the Desert Symphony, Cuban-American singer Jon Secada shows off his soulful vocals and songwriting at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Bob Hamilton & Jérémie Levi Samson
March 9 / String instrumentalist Bob Hamilton plays La Quinta’s Old Town Artisan Studio alongside Paris-born violinist Jérémie Levi Samson, who specializes in jazz manouche, an upbeat musical style.
Kristin Korb Trio
March 9 / Kristin Korb simultaneously sings and plucks stand-up bass strings in a romantic jazz show at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
Dana Daniels
March 9–11 / A “psychic parrot” joins wisecracking magician Dana Daniels onstage at Marvyn’s Magic Theater in La Quinta.
Bonnie Raitt
March 10 / Bonnie Raitt’s rootsy blues music was recently inducted by the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry — see it light up the stage at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Daniel Tosh
March 10 / The comedian spent more than a decade quipping about viral video clips on Comedy Central’s Tosh.0. He shares a stand-up set at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Madison Sinclair
March 10 / Don’t make Madison Sinclair mad. The comedian regularly pens jokes for right-on-the-money roasts of stars like Alec Baldwin. See her at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
David Foster & Katharine McPhee
March 10–12 / Record producer David Foster and American Idol alum Katharine McPhee appear at the McCallum Theatre. The husband-and-wife duo share live versions of the duets they premiered on Instagram during the pandemic.
Dancing With the Stars: Live!
March 11 / Dancers from Dancing With the Stars’ join former Bachelorette Gabby Windey for an upbeat show at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
John Stanley King Band
March 11 / This local rock group plays The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert to raise funds for Family YMCA of the Desert.
No Duh!
March 11 / Snack on local eats and sip craft beer in downtown Indio while jamming out to “Just a Girl” and other No Doubt crowd favorites with tribute group No Duh!
The Mighty Music All-Stars
March 11 / Janet Jackson collaborator Brian Simpson, Billboard jazz chart topper Steve Oliver, and saxophonist Jackiem Joyner groove at The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa.
Designed by Nature
March 13 / In this National Geographic Live! production at the McCallum, bioengineer Dr. Kakani Katija Young sheds light on the strange and wondrous creatures that dwell in the ocean’s murky Twilight Zone.
Hot Club of Cowtown & Tyler Hilton
March 14 / Palm Desert native Tyler Hilton reprises the role of Elvis in a musical celebration at the McCallum Theatre. (Hilton played the King of Rock ’n’ Roll in the 2005 biopic Walk the Line.)
Jay Johnson
March 15 / Ventriloquist Jay Johnson shows off his one-man duet at Marvyn’s Magic Theater.
Len Rainey & The Midnight Players
March 15 / Len Rainey and his band meld funky jazz with R&B beats and bluesy charm at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
The Jive Aces
March 16 / This jazz sextet counts Van Morrison and Keely Smith among their collaborators. See their exuberant show at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
Jonathan Neal & Liane
March 16–18 / Comedy, choreography, and music add to the magic in this illusionist duo’s show at Marvyn’s Magic Theater.
Sandro Iocolano
March 17 / Drawing on his Italian heritage, Sandro Iocolano channels characters like his alter ego, Guido Gaguizzi, in social media skits. The quirky comic performs at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
The Beach Boys
March 17 / The “Good Vibrations” musicians play the harmonies that made them famous at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Tusk
March 17 / “Go Your Own Way” to the McCallum to hear this note-for-note celebration of Fleetwood Mac’s most beloved fan favorites.
A Toast to Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé
March 18 / David Lawrence teams up with Broadway star Debbie Gravitte to fête Lawrence’s parents — entertainment industry legends Steve and Eydie — at the McCallum Theatre.
J Treequinox
March 18 / The Joshua Tree Glampground rings in the spring equinox with a heart-pounding, 12-hour run. Unwind from the exertion with campfireside music and sunrise yoga.
Marie Osmond
March 18 / The sole daughter in the family band The Osmonds, Marie staked her own claim to fame with country hits including 1973’s “Paper Roses.” See her live at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Tanya Tucker
March 18 / This two-time Grammy winner released her breakout hit, “Delta Dawn” in 1972 at age 13. Now 64, Tanya Tucker is back on tour with a stop at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.
Palm Springs Chalk Art Festival
March 18–19 / Professional artists and local students make the streets of downtown Palm Springs their canvas in this 11th annual festival that features miles of colorful chalk masterpieces.
The wide world of fashion comes to El Paseo starting on March 18.
PHOTO BY YASIN CHAUDHRY
Fashion Week El Paseo
March 18–25 / International and emerging designers present collections on the runway and at pop-up stores during the largest direct-to-consumer fashion event on the West Coast. Runway shows are ticketed, while pop-ups are free and open to the public. Don’t miss your chance to mingle with the designers, including returning favorite Michael Costello of Project Runway.
Masters of Harmony
March 19 / Doo-wop down to the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert to hear the 110-member acapella barbershop chorus, Masters of Harmony.
Variations on Three Pianos, Six Hands
March 20 / Pianists Scott Cuellar, Norman Krieger, and Lisa Nakamichi present a charming lineup of solo, duet, and trio performances at the McCallum Theatre.
The Galleri Classic
March 20–26 / After three decades without one, a PGA Tour Champions tournament returns to the Coachella Valley during this inaugural event at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. Top golfers including Fred Couples, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, and Steve Striker are among the field of 78 legends competing for a $2.2 million purse.
Mozart Group
March 21 / This Polish string quartet carts their distinctive blend of classic music, cabaret, and comedy to Palm Desert’s McCallum Theatre.
American Ballet Theatre plays the McCallum on March 22.
PHOTO BY ERIC BAIANO, COURTESY MCCALLUM THEATRE.
ABT Studio Company
March 22 / American Ballet Theatre’s troupe of 17- to 21-year-old professionals bring inspiring choreography to the McCallum stage.
A History of Women in Blues
March 22 / Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs’ Desert Blues Revival producers team up with the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival to present a virtuoso lineup of female musicians celebrating blues’ most illustrious ladies.
How to Marry a Millionaire
March 22 / Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable, and Marilyn Monroe play New York City roommates on a mission to net well-to-do husbands in this beloved film. Palm Springs Cultural Center hosts an outdoor screening of the 1953 classic at the Downtown Palm Springs Park.
Palm Springs International Gay Hockey Tournament
March 23 / Evening socials follow showdowns on ice at Acrisure Arena in this friendly tournament for LGBTQ+ players.
Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan
March 23 / Grand Ole Opry inductee Pam Tillis teams up with Grammy nominee Lorrie Morgan for an evening of boot-scootin’ country glam at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
John Shryock & Mari Lynn
March 23–25 / Prepare to be amazed at Marvyn’s Magic Theater in La Quinta, where John Shryock and dancer Mari Lynn show off the sleight-of-hand skills that landed Shryock a spot on the entertainment lineup at President George W. Bush’s inaugural ball.
American Documentary and Animation Film Festival
March 23–27 / More than 250 visionary filmmakers vie for awards like Best Animated Work and Most Inspirational Film at this festival celebrating two of cinema’s most innovative genres. Screenings this year take place at locations in Palm Springs and Palm Desert, and for the first time, that includes an outdoor venue.
Iliza Shlesinger
March 24 / With four Netflix specials and two books under her belt, the 2008 winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing has developed a loyal following for her witty, relatable onstage banter. Catch her stand-up act at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
JB Ball
March 24 / The mind behind segments on MTV comedy series Ridiculousness spits jokes at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
The Kingdom Choir
March 24 / Lauded for their 2018 performance at Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s royal wedding, this London-based gospel choir sings “Stand by Me” and other tunes at Palm Desert’s McCallum Theatre.
Zeppelin USA
March 24 / The passionate tribute band transforms Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage into a “Stairway to Heaven” with video, lasers, and masterful renditions of Zep’s most legendary tunes.
Palm Desert Food & Wine
March 24–26 / Attend cooking demos with celebrity chefs and sample sips and bites from the region’s top wineries, breweries, and restaurants at this foodie dream on El Paseo.
Katherine Jenkins
March 25 / Take a seat at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert to see Katherine Jenkins, who warbled “God Save the Queen” at Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Rick Braun
March 25 / Innovative trumpeter Rick Braun makes beautiful music at The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa with jazz saxophonist Michael Paulo and other friends.
McCallum Theatre Concert Band
March 26 / McCallum Theatre president and artistic director Mitch Gershenfeld leads the theater’s concert band in a performance of classic marches and music from Broadway’s West Side Story.
An American Salute!
March 27 / As part of his longtime Keyboard Conversations series at the McCallum, pianist Jeffrey Siegel spills the stories behind compositions by American musicians including George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein.
Dyversity
March 29 / Although this R&B band formed in Los Angeles, most members met as schoolmates in San Diego County. The quintet rocks Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
Cathy Segal-Garcia Quartet
March 30 / Berklee College of Music alum Cathy Segal-Garcia inherited her jazz acumen from her saxophone-playing father. She flexes her talents at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
Jeff Hobson
March 30–April 1 / A surprise guest joins Marvyn’s Magic Theater producer Jeff Hobson at the venue for an evening of spectacular illusion.
Charo
March 31 / All-woman musical group Mariachi Divas accompany musician and flamenco guitarist Charo at the McCallum Theatre. Those who watched The Love Boat will recognize Charo as a frequent guest star.
Jackie Kashian
March 31 / The comedian and podcaster drops by Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs to share the hilarious quips that landed her a guest spot on The Late Late Show With James Corden.
Al Franken
March 31 / The fourth Palm Springs Speaks speaker series launches with a talk by former U.S. Senator Al Franken at the Richards Center for the Arts at Palm Springs High School.
Reba McEntire
March 31 / Country singer Terri Clark and bluegrass family band The Isaacs join the Oklahoma-born Queen of Country at Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms as she plays a selection of hits from her 35 studio albums.
The Opsahl Pritchard Duo
March 31 / At the Artist Center at The Galen in Palm Desert, recorder and cornetto whiz Alex Opsahl and keyboardist Ian Pritchard bring to life compositions from early modern Italy.
Thunder From Down Under
March 31 / Say g’day to Australia’s hottest hunks. This male revue’s chiseled charmers delight audience members at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage with interactive dance routines.
THEATER THIS MONTH
Once
Through March 5 / Head to the Coachella Valley Repertory in Cathedral City to hear this heartfelt musical’s spectacular score, which holds the unique distinction of having won an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony, and an Olivier.
The Mousetrap
Through March 5 / Desert TheatreWorks in Indio shares its take on history’s longest-running play, Agatha Christie’s 1952 whodunit about seven people snowed in with a murderer in their midst.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Through March 5 / Fans of superhero movies will dig this classic musical at Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs. Sir Percy Blakeney secretly dons the story’s titular moniker to rescue revolutionaries from the guillotine in 18th-century France.
Kafka’s Joke
March 10–12 & 17–19 / This new play — debuting at Desert Ensemble Theatre in Palm Springs — draws inspiration from a real-life legal battle over the unpublished manuscripts of Czech novelist Franz Kafka.
Escape to Margaritaville
March 10–April 2 / Calling all Parrotheads! Hum along to your favorite Jimmy Buffet tunes while watching this jukebox musical at Desert TheatreWorks in Indio.
Beauty & The Beast
March 17–19 / Community theater company Desert Theatricals performs its version of the Tony-nominated theatrical production of the classic 1991 Disney story at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater.
Daddy’s Dyin’ (Who’s Got the Will?)
March 17–26 / In this comedic play at Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs, personalities clash as four adult siblings reunite for the imminent death of their father.
Monsieur Chopin
March 28–29 / McCallum Theatre audience members will travel from modern-day Palm Desert to 1840s Paris for a piano lesson from one of the most revered Romantic composers of all time, brought to life by pianist and actor Hershey Felder.
Hand to God
March 28–April 9 / This dark comedy at the Coachella Valley Repertory in Cathedral City centers around an introverted teen boy and his devilish possessed sock puppet.
Petra Cortright's ruminations on the internet are on display this month.
PHOTO COURTESY PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM
ART EXHIBITIONS THIS MONTH
Petra Cortright
Through March 26 / The Santa Barbara–born artist known for self-portrait videos composes “paintings” with internet imagery in this exhibition at Palm Springs Art Museum.
Phillip K. Smith III
Through May 7 / Palm Desert’s own Phillip K. Smith III fills four galleries at Palm Springs Art Museum with objects and installations inspired by the unique quality of light in the California desert.
American Framing
Through July 2 / The Architecture and Design Center in Palm Springs brings attention to the subtle architectural genius of wood framing through models, photos, furniture, and a full-scale structure.
La Quinta Art Celebration
March 2–5 / Jurors select 185 artists to exhibit work at the La Quinta Civic Center alongside live music and culinary treats. (Try the mini doughnuts!)
Burner
March 3–24 / Street artists from around the world showcase their talents in a special group exhibition at Coda Gallery in Palm Desert.
For more events, visit our calendar.