Christmas time in The Coachella Valley is a great time. Sure, the chances of a White Christmas are basically zero (though not impossible) – but, you do get to do your Holiday shopping in flip flops! This year, there are plenty of events and Holiday displays to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Here they are in no particular order…
Robolights
Kenny Irwin’s RoboLights was on, then it was off, and now it is back on again in Palm Springs. The attraction features tons of lights as well as aliens, robots, and plenty of surprises made up from old furniture, scrap metal, and old vacuum parts – all from artist Kenny Irwin.
You can find Roblolights at 1077 E Granvia Valmonte in Palm Springs – open every night from 4 to 9:30 through January 3rd.
Candy Cane Lane
Cathedral City’s Minerva Road transforms every year into Candy Cane Lane – with almost every house on the street going all out with lights, decorations, and more.
Candy Cane Lane is located on Minerva Road between Avenida La Vista and Tachevah Drive. The Holiday displays will be up through the New Year.
My Desert Lights
Just a short distance from Candy Cane Lane is a home so decked out with holiday lights that was it named “Best Christmas Lights Display in America” in 2010 by The Early Show on CBS and was featured on ABC’s , The Great Christmas Light Fight in 2013. The more than 200,000 eco-friendly LED lights and a 24-foot tall “Mega Christmas Tree” are all synced up to music too. Just tune in to 107.5 fm.
My Desert Lights is located at 68000 Estio Road in Cathedral City. Show times are Sunday through Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
WildLights
The Living Desert’s annual WildLights hosts almost a million lights. Plus there is live entertainment, food & drink, camel rides, Santa Claus, and more.
The Living Desert is located at 47900 Portola Avenue in Palm Desert. WildLights runs on select nights (see the schedule here), $10 for adults and $8 for kids, members, and people with military IDs. Children under 3 are free.
La Quinta Resort & Club
Now through New Year’s Day, La Quinta Resort hosts carolers on the plaza. It also features chestnuts roasting on an open fire, shows Holiday movies, hosts visits from Santa, and lights the Menorah nightly through Hanukkah.
La Quinta Resort & Club is located at 49499 Eisenhower Drive in La Quinta.
A Very Perri Christmas Light Show
UC San Diego electrical engineering student Austin Perri has been staging a huge Holiday light show now for 7 years. In addition to 80,000 light bulbs synchronized to music to delight crowds, Perri also uses the display as a way to raise canned goods for FIND Food Bank. So, if you go, bring some canned food items with you.
The home is located at 72263 Desert Drive in Rancho Mirage (near Highway 111 and Magnesia Falls).
Top of the Tram
The Tramway kicks off its Holiday Season with a tree lighting ceremony on Sunday, December 6th. They will have a visit from Santa on December 12th and carolers singing on weekends throughout the Holidays. Plus, they get actual snow up there!
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is located at 1 Tram Way in Palm Springs. Tickets are $24.95 for adults, $16.95 for kids, and $22.95 for seniors.
Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade
Saturday, December 5th will see the annual Festival of Lights parade in downtown Palm Springs. Festivities kick off at 5:45 p.m. with decorated floats, marching bands, and Santa Claus. This year’s grand marshall is skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.
The Festival of Lights Parade takes place on Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs
Bonus: Watch Palm Springs Christmas
That terrible made-for-TV flick starring Steve Sanders Ian Ziering and set in Palm Springs because of grant money from the city will air at 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 3rd on a channel you did not know you had, UPtv. It will then air again throughout the month.
Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below – and have a great Holiday Season!
