Planning a November weekend escape from Beaumont and the San Gorgonio Pass? The Coachella Valley is packed this month, and the drive east on I-10 is an easy 30 to 60 minutes. New this November, the Coachella Valley Lakers tip off their inaugural NBA G League season at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, the Firebirds bring American Hockey League action back to the rink, and Palm Springs hosts Día de los Muertos gatherings, an ice cream festival, the Coachella Valley Filipino Festival, and a two-day art festival in the park. Here is a friendly, family-first rundown of the desert dates worth circling, with a reminder to always confirm details with the organizers before you head out.
Acrisure Arena: pro sports debut in the desert
Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert has been home to the Coachella Valley Firebirds since it opened, but November 2026 adds a whole new team to the building: the Coachella Valley Lakers, the NBA G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, tip off their inaugural season with home games at the arena. The season opener at home is Friday, November 6 against the Salt Lake City Stars, the start of a regular G League schedule that runs through the winter. For Pass Area basketball fans who grew up cheering for the purple and gold, it is a chance to watch the Lakers' next generation develop just 45 minutes down I-10.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds are also back on the ice, hosting American Hockey League games at Acrisure Arena through the fall and winter, including a Wednesday, November 4 home game against the Colorado Eagles. The Firebirds reached the AHL's Calder Cup Finals in 2024, and their fast, physical brand of hockey has made Acrisure Arena one of the most fun sports buildings in Southern California. Check acrisurearena.com for the full November schedule, single-game tickets, and family nights.
And the arena books more than sports: the iconic B-52s and DEVO bring their "Cosmic De-Evolution" co-headline tour to Acrisure Arena in November, a one-of-a-kind double bill of new wave legends. Between the Lakers G League, Firebirds hockey, and the concert calendar, there is almost always a reason to make the short drive east.
Día de los Muertos in the desert
The Day of the Dead is a big deal across the Coachella Valley, and November opens with it. Palm Springs hosts a free Día de los Muertos community celebration on Sunday, November 1 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Demuth Community Center, with altars, crafts, music, and a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere. Down the road in Coachella, the Run with Los Muertos 5K returns Saturday, November 7 for its ninth annual Día de los Muertos-themed run, a colorful community race that celebrates the holiday on the move.
You do not have to leave the Pass Area to mark the holiday, either: Beaumont's own free Día de los Muertos celebration is Saturday, November 7 from 1:00 to 5:00 PM at the Albert A. Chatigny Sr. Community Recreation Center, with mariachi music, ofrendas, a Catrina costume contest, and a brand-new community pet ofrenda this year. The desert gatherings make a lovely complement if you want a full Day of the Dead weekend.
Food festivals, art in the park, and family days
Scoop Palm Springs Ice Cream Festival
Sunday · November 1 · Downtown Park, Palm Springs
The second annual scoop of the desert's sweetest festival: local ice cream shops, sweet vendors, live music, and family fun at Downtown Park. A perfect Sunday afternoon stop on the way home from a desert weekend.
Wanderlust Food Truck Festival
Wednesday · November 4 · Palm Springs
A midweek feast of the Coachella Valley's best food trucks gathered in Palm Springs. Easy to pair with VillageFest on the same night if you want an evening out in the desert.
Coachella Valley Filipino Festival
Saturday · November 21 · 11 AM-6 PM · Downtown Park, Palm Springs
A free celebration of Filipino food, music, dance, and art at Downtown Park in Palm Springs. Given the strong Filipino community across the Inland Empire and Pass Area, it is a warm, welcoming family afternoon and a great way to support local vendors.
Palm Springs Art Festival (November)
Sat-Sun · November 21-22 · Frances Stevens Park
Around 60 artists fill Frances Stevens Park for the November edition of this juried art festival, set against the San Jacinto Mountains. A great holiday-gift shopping stop, right across from the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Stages worth the drive: Palm Springs & Palm Desert
The desert's restored and storied stages light up in November. The landmark Plaza Theatre in downtown Palm Springs, which reopened in 2026 after a $34 million restoration, hosts comedian Margaret Cho on Saturday, November 7, Fortune Feimster on Sunday, November 8, and the Journey USA tribute on Sunday, November 15, before its holiday season takes over at the end of the month. Over in Palm Desert, the McCallum Theatre presents the Broadway smash & Juliet on Sunday, November 1 and the Indigo Girls on Saturday, November 7.
Out in Coachella, Spotlight 29 Casino hosts the "Billy Joel to Elton John: Face to Face" tribute concert on Saturday, November 14, a crowd-pleasing sing-along of two of pop's greatest catalogs. Between the Plaza Theatre, McCallum, Acrisure Arena, and the casino stages, the desert offers more live entertainment in one month than most regions see in a season.
The bigger November picture
Add these to the desert dates already on the Pass Area calendar and November is one of the busiest months of the year down I-10: Greater Palm Springs Pride (November 6-8) celebrates its 40th annual edition with the big parade down Palm Canyon Drive on Sunday, November 8; the WTA Finals bring the season-ending women's tennis championship to Greater Palm Springs (November 8-15); the Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival & Food Truck Fiesta lifts off November 20-22; and the Plaza Theatre's holiday season opens the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Closer to home, Election Day lands Tuesday, November 3 with Banning's Sunset Crossroads referendum (Measures U, V, and W) and Beaumont Unified's $86 million Measure B school bond on the ballot, and Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11 brings community ceremonies across the Pass Area plus Beaumont's new Veterans Parade. It all makes the Pass Area the natural base camp for a month of sports, culture, and community.
Tickets & planning
Pro sports and headliner shows in the desert sell out, so grab tickets early at acrisurearena.com, ticketmaster.com, or the venues' own box offices. Pack a light jacket for the evening games (desert nights cool off fast), leave a little extra time for I-10, and confirm every event's times and parking before you go.
A friendly note on event details
Dates, times, ticket prices, and lineups are subject to change, so please confirm with the organizer or the official event listing before you head out. We share these as a community service to help you plan a great desert getaway, not as official listings. Have fun out there, and say hi if you see me!
From Sam Silver
The desert is our backyard
One of the things I love most about the Pass Area is that we get the best of both worlds. We live in a close-knit community where neighbors show up for each other, and yet Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley, and the high desert are right down the road. The Lakers' G League team playing in Palm Desert means you can watch the next generation of the purple and gold without fighting LA traffic, and that just feels like home-court advantage to me.
Whether you are catching a Firebirds game, walking the Filipino Festival, or grabbing a scoop at the ice cream festival, enjoy the desert. And if you are ever thinking about buying or selling a home in the Pass Area, I would be honored to help you find your spot in this community.
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