WATCH: GOOD PEOPLE / MAY 1–19
See Pulitzer-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire’s compelling story about a struggling single mother and her unsympathetic old flame at Coachella Valley Repertory in Cathedral City.
GROOVE: TRIBAL SEEDS / MAY 2
Brothers Steven and Tony-Ray Jacobo front the rock-reggae band Tribal Seeds. Hear them perform jams like “Rude Girl” at the Date Shed in Indio.
GROOVE: THE CREATION FACTORY AND S.O.S. / MAY 2–3
As a lead-up to the big Moreno Beach–based festival in October, Desert Daze hosts a series of intimate shows at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs. This free event features psychedelic rockers The Creation Factory alongside S.O.S. and additional DJs in the hotel’s cozy Amigo Room bar.
WATCH: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA / MAY 2–5
College of the Desert presents its take on Broadway’s longest running show, the story of a mysterious masked figure and his obsession with beautiful soprano Christine. The chandelier drops at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
WATCH: MYRNA'S GETTING MARRIED / MAY 3–4
A comedy about love, family, greed, and wombats put on by Script2Stage2Screen, which test runs a playwright's work before a live audience at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert in Rancho Mirage. Read our preview of this theater group.
GROOVE: PEPE AGUILAR / MAY 3
Pepe Aguilar had one heck of a musical debut: At age 3, he joined his father, Antonio Aguilar, onstage at Madison Square Garden. Forty-seven years and four Grammys later, the Mexican singer-songwriter brings his ranchera standards to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.
SEE: A BUG’S LIFE ON THE GREAT LAWN / MAY 3
Sunnylands’ popular Films on the Great Lawn series is back starting with this animated classic from Pixar. Admission to the outdoor movie, presented in partnership with the Palm Springs International Film Festival, is free. Movie starts at 8 p.m. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. Filmgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and small picnics. Large coolers, alcohol, smoking, and pets are not permitted. Carpooling is advised.
GO: TRAIN DAY / MAY 4
All aboard for fun at The Living Desert! The zoo’s G-scale model train traverses 3,300 feet of track and is the star of this family event featuring a scavenger hunt, Choo-Choo-Churro treats, and more.
WATCH: DESERT’S GOT TALENT / MAY 4
Palm Springs–based nonprofit Boo2Bullying sponsors this annual talent competition at Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater. Performers range in age from elementary schoolers to senior citizens, and local personalities act as contest judges.
GROOVE: LOS HURACANES DEL NORTE AND BANDA MACHOS / MAY 4
Los Huracanes del Norte have ruled the Norteño scene since 1973. Banda Machos are known for their unique mix of banda and cumbia. The bands pair up for a night of “Gran Baile” at Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella.
LAUGH: GABRIEL IGLESIAS / MAY 4
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias has been slinging jokes about Mexican-American culture, race relations, and the “levels of fatness” (the fourth of six is “fluffy”) for more than two decades. See him live at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
GO: EVENING UNDER THE STARS / MAY 4
Calling all Mamma Mia! fans: This year’s iteration of AAP – Food Samaritans’ gala features the ABBA tribute band Arrival From Sweden. Sip a cocktail, grab a gourmet bite, and channel your inner “Dancing Queen” at O’Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs. Proceeds support nutritional programming for people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Read our interview with honoree Ruta Lee, an actress and HIV/AIDS activist.
GO: CINCO DE MAYO FIESTA / MAY 5
Enjoy Mexican food, margaritas, and appearances by talented local students at Old Town Artisan Studios in La Quinta. Proceeds benefit Tools for Tomorrow, a Palm Desert–based nonprofit that provides free after-school arts programs for kids.
TASTE: 40th Anniversary Margaritas / May 5
Las Casuelas Terraza in Palm Springs welcomes special entertainment by Mariachi Tesoro de Rebecca Gonzales, and also feature its 40th Anniversary Margaritas – The La Cuarenta and The El Rubi — to coincide with the restaurant's own 40th anniversary.
GO: PALM SPRINGS PHOTO FESTIVAL / MAY 5–10
Professional and serious amateur photographers gather together for key networking opportunities, seminars, shows, and expert-led workshops.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA
Las Casuelas Terraza will be serving up 40th anniversary margaritas.
GO: VINTAGE MARKET / MAY 5
Catch the final Palm Springs Vintage Market of the season featuring vintage, retro and midcentury modern merchanidise.
TASTE: SEIS DE MAYO / MAY 6
Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewery launches its new Latin-fusion menu with a food-focused fiesta. Options include goat cheese tamales, pork belly tacos, and homemade churros; they’ll also debut a new Mexican lager (brewed on-site) to wash it all down.