It feels a little strange to say this already, but we’re officially heading into the last few months of 2026.
Summer is winding down, our cooler desert evenings are slowly coming back, and this is usually when the Coachella Valley starts feeling alive again. Restaurants get busier, seasonal residents return, outdoor events fill the calendar, and suddenly there are a lot more reasons to leave the house.
This year is especially interesting because we still have quite a few new things coming before December.
So instead of looking back at everything that’s already happened in 2026, I wanted to look ahead. Here’s what’s coming to the Coachella Valley during the rest of the year.
A Quick Look at What’s Coming
The Coachella Valley Lakers Are Coming to Acrisure Arena
This might be one of the biggest changes to our local sports scene this year.
Beginning this fall, the Coachella Valley Lakers will officially call Acrisure Arena home. The NBA G League team will begin its inaugural 2026–27 season here in November, with its first home game scheduled for November 6.
New in the Desert
Professional Lakers basketball officially tips off at Acrisure Arena this November.
That means the arena that we’ve gotten used to seeing filled with hockey fans and major concerts is adding professional basketball to the mix.
For local sports fans, that’s a pretty big addition. We went from having very little professional sports presence in the desert to having the Coachella Valley Firebirds, professional basketball, major tennis tournaments, and increasingly more national sporting events happening right here in the Valley.
And Some of the World’s Best Tennis Players Are Coming Too
Indian Wells is already synonymous with tennis because of the BNP Paribas Open, but November is bringing something different.
The 2026 WTA Finals will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden from November 8–15, bringing the season’s top eight women’s singles players and doubles teams to the Coachella Valley.
That’s a major international sporting event landing right in our backyard.
And if tennis isn’t your thing, Thanksgiving week will bring more basketball to Acrisure Arena through the Acrisure Series.
Basically, November is going to be a very good month if you like sports.
There’s a Huge New Music Festival Coming to Indio
Because apparently Indio didn’t have enough music festivals already.
A new electronic music festival called Head Trip is scheduled to make its debut at the Empire Polo Club on October 10 and 11.
And they’re not starting small.
Head Trip 2026
Swedish House Mafia
Skrillex
FISHER
Chris Lake
October 10–11 • Empire Polo Club • Indio
It’s interesting to see the Empire Polo Club continue becoming more than just the place where Coachella and Stagecoach happen every April.
Head Trip gives the Valley another major music weekend during the fall, right when our busy season is beginning again.
Cotino Is Getting Ready to Open Its Public Areas
We’ve been watching Disney’s Cotino community take shape in Rancho Mirage for quite a while, but this fall is when things should start getting much more interesting for those of us who don’t live there.
Cotino Bay Beach, Dining and Shops is scheduled to begin opening its public-facing town center in fall 2026.
The centerpiece is the massive Cotino Bay, while the public town center is planned to include dining, shopping, wellness, an artisan market, and paid public access to the bay.
Elevare
Waterfront dining
Artigiano
Canadian specialty coffee brand’s first U.S. location
On the Mark
Fine foods and provisions
Khaga Yoga
Yoga and wellness studio
So yes: you will be able to visit part of Disney’s desert community without actually living there.
That’s probably one of the openings I’m most curious to see in person.
Palm Desert Is Getting Surfing — Yes, Actual Surfing
Surfing in Palm Desert still sounds like somebody made a typo, but DSRT Surf is very real.
The resort is centered around a 5.5-acre surf lagoon and is planned to include surfing experiences, a hotel, restaurants, residences, and other recreation.
Surfing. In Palm Desert.
With mountains and desert in the background? That’s definitely different.
The project has been one of the more unusual developments happening in the Valley, with professional surfing events also planned around the development.
I think this is one of those places that you have to actually see before you completely understand it.
New Places to Eat Are Still Popping Up
The restaurant scene around the Valley never really stays still.
Palm Springs recently welcomed Charly’s Neighborhood, bringing New York-style pizza to the city, while Little Bird in Indio is combining Japanese techniques with Mexican flavors.
Rancho Mirage is also expecting The Brunch Club later this year.
And personally, this is the kind of “development news” I enjoy.
Yes, tell me about the new roads and buildings too. But more importantly: where are we eating?
Fall Means the Big Local Events Are Coming Back
October and November are when the desert calendar really starts filling up again.
Modernism Week – October
More than 50 tours, architectural experiences, talks, and events centered around the Valley’s famous midcentury design.
Greater Palm Springs Pride
Greater Palm Springs Pride celebrates its 40th anniversary this November.
Día de los Muertos Celebrations
Celebrations return throughout the Valley, including events in Indio and Coachella, with Run with Los Muertos returning to Old Town Coachella.
La Quinta Art Celebration
Artists, visitors, and collectors return for another major weekend of art in La Quinta.
And those are only some of the bigger events. There are plenty of smaller markets, concerts, festivals, and community events happening as we move toward the holidays.
This is usually the point in the year when living here starts paying us back for surviving July.
Even More Is Already Being Set Up for 2027
Not everything under construction right now will be ready before New Year’s Eve.
The Riviera Palm Springs
The property is undergoing a major transformation with its reopening expected in early 2027.
Palm Springs International Airport
PSP is moving through a larger long-term expansion plan designed to add gates and improve the passenger experience.
So even as 2026 winds down, some of what we’re seeing around the Valley is really preparation for what’s coming next.
The Desert Is About to Wake Up Again
I always find this part of the year interesting in the Coachella Valley.
September still feels like summer. Then October arrives, the weather finally starts giving us a break, patios fill up again, seasonal businesses get busier, and suddenly there is something happening every weekend.
This year we have a new basketball team, international tennis, a brand-new music festival, new restaurants, surfing in Palm Desert, Disney’s Cotino beginning to open more of its community, and the return of some of our biggest local traditions.
And I’m sure there will be a few surprises that haven’t been announced yet.
So if you’ve spent the last few months hiding inside from the heat like the rest of us, don’t worry.
The fun part of living in the desert is about to start again.
Editor’s Note: Event dates, openings, construction timelines, participating businesses, and schedules may change. Information reflects publicly announced plans available at the time of publication. Check with individual venues, organizers, or businesses before making plans.
There’s Always Something New Happening in the Coachella Valley
From Palm Springs and Cathedral City to Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, and Desert Hot Springs, every city adds something different to life in the desert.
Whether you’ve lived here for years, just moved to the Valley, or you’re thinking about making the desert home, there’s always more to discover.