What is happening in Beaumont and the San Gorgonio Pass in November 2026? A lot. Election Day brings the Sunset Crossroads referendum and the Measure B school bond to local voters on November 3, Dia de los Muertos and Veterans Day ceremonies follow within the week, the desert calendar fills with Greater Palm Springs Pride, the WTA Finals, and the Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival, and Christmas Nights at 123 Farm opens its holiday lights on November 5. This guide rounds up the month's can't-miss dates, the local news worth knowing, and the seasonal things to do across Beaumont, Banning, Cherry Valley, Calimesa, and the wider pass. Curated by Sam Silver, your local Pass Area community guide and expert.
November at a glance
Here is the month's calendar in one look, with the biggest dates up front. Full details, addresses, and organizer info live on the Beaumont Life events page.
Nov 3 · Election Day & local measures
California's statewide general election lands Tuesday, November 3, and the Pass Area has major local questions on the ballot. Banning voters decide Measures U, V, and W, which would repeal the City Council's approval of the 533-acre Sunset Crossroads Specific Plan, while Beaumont Unified seeks approval of the $86 million Measure B school bond to fix aging schools and replace portable classrooms. Find polling places and sample ballots through Riverside County.
Nov 6-8 · Pride, film, and desert art
Greater Palm Springs Pride (Nov 6-8) celebrates its 40th annual edition with a free weekend festival and the big parade down Palm Canyon Drive on Sunday, November 8 at 10:00 AM. The same weekend, the 8th annual Yucca Valley Film Festival screens independent films, and the 14th annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition opens at the 29 Palms Art Gallery (opening reception Saturday, November 7).
Nov 7 · Dia de los Muertos in Beaumont
The third annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration fills the Albert A. Chatigny Sr. Community Recreation Center (1310 Oak Valley Pkwy) from 1:00-5:00 PM with mariachi music, traditional altars, crafts, face painting, food vendors, a kids' zone, and the Catrina/Catrín costume contest. Free and family-friendly. That evening, The Isley Brothers headline the Events Center at Morongo.
Nov 8-15 · WTA Finals in Greater Palm Springs
The season-ending WTA Finals bring the world's top women's tennis players to the desert for a week of world-class matches, 30-45 minutes east on I-10. Pair it with Greater Palm Springs Pride (Nov 6-8) and the La Quinta Art Celebration (Nov 12-15) for a full desert weekend from the Pass Area.
Nov 11-12 · Honoring our veterans
Community ceremonies across Beaumont, Banning, Calimesa, and Cherry Valley honor all who served on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, with color guards, wreath-layings, and moments of remembrance. The next evening, the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society hosts its annual Honoring Local Military Veterans gathering at the Cherry Valley Grange Community Center (10478 Beaumont Ave) at 7:00 PM, a warm evening of stories and gratitude for the pass's service members and their families.
Nov 12-15 · La Quinta Art Celebration
A juried fine-art festival in the heart of the Coachella Valley featuring hundreds of established and emerging artists, live demonstrations, music, and desert dining. One of the most respected art festivals in Southern California, held each November in La Quinta Old Town and Civic Center campus. An easy fall weekend trip east on I-10.
Nov 20-22 · Hot Air Balloon Festival
Hundreds of colorful hot air balloons lift off at dawn over the Coachella Valley in the 12th annual Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival, with balloon glows, tethered rides, live music, food vendors, and a drone light show. A picture-perfect weekend outing from the Pass Area on I-10.
Nov 25-Dec 30 · WildLights at The Living Desert
More than 3 million LED lights transform The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert into a glowing holiday wonderland on select nights from November 25 through December 30, a USA Today top-10 holiday event. Just 40 minutes east of the pass, it is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season with the family.
Local news and developments worth knowing
The Pass Area keeps investing in its future. Here is the latest on the projects, honors, and openings shaping Beaumont, Banning, Calimesa, and Cherry Valley this fall.
Downtown Beaumont passes $250K in business support
The City of Beaumont has now committed more than $250,000 through its Downtown Business Attraction and Expansion Forgivable Loan and Commercial Façade Improvement programs, approving over $210,000 for four downtown businesses and two commercial properties. The 2026 recipients include Tuscano's Pizza & Pasta, Good Intentions Bar and Restaurant, and Cornerstone Barbeque, all anchors of the 2nd Street and E 6th Street revival.
Fire insurance relief for Beaumont homeowners
Beaumont was placed on California's Fire Risk Reduction Community List (FRRCL) for July 2026 through June 2028, a state recognition of the city's proactive wildfire preparedness that can qualify residents for fire-insurance discounts. A meaningful win for homeowners at the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest and the wildland-urban interface.
Stewart Park renovation moves forward
Phase I construction at Stewart Park resumed in July 2026, and the city accepted a roughly $2.5 million federal grant to fund Phase II, which adds a secondary playground, skate park enhancements, and a relocated basketball court with pickleball striping. The park remains closed for the overhaul, so plan around it this fall and look for the finished park next year.
SR-60/Potrero Phase II and the $84M transportation package
Construction is underway on the $56 million SR-60/Potrero Boulevard Interchange Phase II widening Potrero Boulevard for Beaumont's growing areas, with completion expected in 2028, and Beaumont has locked in roughly $84 million in state transportation funding including $50.4 million for the Pennsylvania Avenue Grade Separation. Expect continued I-10 lane closures between Beaumont and Calimesa from the $146 million pavement rehabilitation project, plus street resurfacing on Champions Drive November 20 through December 1.
Calimesa's Mountainview Park opens its new turf
After the pickleball courts, parking, and restrooms soft-opened in March 2026, the new turf field and decomposed-granite walking path at Mountainview Park opened through the fall, completing Phase 2 of Calimesa's expanded community park. A great new spot for a family afternoon, and a sign of the city's growing recreation network.
The restored Plaza Theatre's holiday season
Palm Springs' landmark Plaza Theatre, reopened in 2026 after a $34 million restoration, launches its holiday lineup in late November: Christmas with The Drifters, The Platters, and Cornell Gunter's Coasters (Nov 27), Maria Bamford (Nov 28), Meow Meow's Feline Festive (Dec 2), A John Waters Christmas (Dec 3), The John Denver Christmas Concert (Dec 8), and the Gay Men's Chorus' Jingle Jangle Jazz Hands (Dec 11-13). Just 30 minutes east on I-10, it is an easy evening out from the pass.
Seasonal things to do this month
November is the month the pass turns from fall festivals to holiday lights, with apple season, harvest dinners, and the first glow of Christmas just up the road.
Oak Glen apple season and Harvest Feasts
U-pick apple season runs through Thanksgiving at Los Rios Rancho and Riley's Farm, about 25 minutes north. The Harvest Feast dinners return in November at Riley's Farm, and the mountain orchards are at their golden best as the leaves turn. A classic Southern California autumn tradition that pairs perfectly with a crisp pass morning.
Christmas Nights at 123 Farm opens Nov 5
The winter edition of Christmas Nights at 123 Farm in Cherry Valley runs November 5 through January 3, transforming the fields and gardens into a holiday wonderland with festive lights, seasonal music, and holiday treats. Advance tickets are required (no door sales), with weekdays 5-10 PM and weekends 2-10 PM, plus Santa's Workshop on select dates. One of the most magical holiday experiences in Southern California, right in the pass.
Community Olive Harvest at 123 Farm
As the lavender season winds down, 123 Farm turns to its historic olive groves: more than 750 century-old olive trees on this certified organic farm, with the Community Olive Harvest inviting neighbors and visitors to gather tree-ripe fruit that is pressed into farm olive oil each fall. A hands-on, old-world tradition that only happens a few weeks a year. Check 123farm.com for this year's harvest dates.
Thanksgiving weekend and the holiday kickoff
After the turkey, the season swings into gear: the 33rd Annual Winterfest at the Cherry Valley Grange (Dec 4), the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade (Dec 5, 5:45 PM), the Indio International Tamale Festival (Dec 5-6), the Blizzard Bash and Holiday Light Parade in Beaumont (Dec 12), and Banning's Cowboy Christmas holiday parade and tree lighting (date TBD, traditionally the first Saturday of December). The Calimesa Farmers & Community Market also holds its holiday edition Wednesday, November 25 (4-9 PM at 1055 Calimesa Blvd).
Where to eat and drink this month
The downtown Beaumont revival keeps adding reasons to stay local, and the rest of the pass is right there with it. The full list with links and addresses is on the Things to Do page.
Downtown Beaumont
Good Intentions Bar & Restaurant (410 E 6th St) for American comfort food and wings, Kasama Restaurant (383 E 6th St) for Filipino-Cantonese fusion, Frijoles Restaurant & Cantina (652 E 6th St) for ceviche, pozole, and chilaquiles, New York Pizzeria for slices, and Pon Pho Noodle for pho. Coffee is strong here too: Cafe Agape, Cafe Cultivate, and Ziggi's Coffee all pour downtown, and the newest names on the hot-and-new lists, like La Popular, keep the corridor lively.
Banning's Ramsey corridor
Johnny Russo's Italian Restaurant (1335 W Ramsey St) and Consuelo's Home Style Mexican Food (1046 E Ramsey St) are the long-standing favorites, while Farm 2 Fork Cafe & Bakery (42 W Ramsey St) is the farm-to-table newcomer and Nosotros Cafe (3505 W Ramsey St) earned Banning's first Blue Zones Project Approved designation. Chaca Tea Bar keeps the boba flowing for the younger crowd.
Calimesa & Cherry Valley
Fire Rock Burgers & Brews and The HAUS Bistro anchor Calimesa's dining scene, Flo's Country Cafe is the Cherry Valley breakfast institution, and Down Right Brewed (DRB) Espresso Cafe pours purpose-driven coffee in Calimesa. Cornerstone BBQ in Beaumont remains a fall favorite for smoked meats as the weather cools.
Markets this month
The Calimesa Farmers & Community Market meets Wednesday, November 25 (4-9 PM at 1055 Calimesa Blvd), the Beaumont Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings at 6525 College St, the Banning Farmers Market is Saturdays at 5 PM as a Blue Zones Project market, and the Cherry Valley Farmers Market meets the first and third Saturdays.
From Sam Silver
A month to gather and give thanks
November is when the Pass Area shows its heart: neighbors voting on the future of their towns, communities honoring veterans on the 11th, families sharing Dia de los Muertos altars, and the first holiday lights glowing over a century-old farm in Cherry Valley. That mix of heritage and heart is what makes this place home.
Beaumont Life exists to help you find these moments, whether you have lived here for decades or you are just exploring the area as a future home. If you head out this month, enjoy every minute. And if you are ever thinking about buying or selling a home in the Pass Area, I would be honored to help.
Keep exploring
Events in the Pass Area
Recurring events, festivals, and community happenings
Things to Do in the Pass Area
Parks, trails, dining, and family activities
October 2026 Pass Area Guide
The full seasonal guide to October in the pass
Veteran & Community Hero Resources
Honoring the pass's veterans and local heroes
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