Special Events

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Special Events in Palm Desert

From the big city glitz and glamour of Fashion Week El Paseo to the friendly small town spirit of annual community celebrations like Independence Day and the Golf Cart Parade, Palm Desert is home to a wide array of special events that offer something for everyone. For more information about Palm Desert's many special events, visit our online Event Calendar.

For specific questions about City of Palm Desert events, please call 760-346-0611, ext. 454 or email events@palmdesert.gov.

Special Event Permitting

The Special Events Application below has been designed to ensure the success of events in Palm Desert. A Special Event Application is required for an organized activity that incorporates the use of:

City property, City streets, sidewalks, rights-of-way; and/or
Outdoor private property including parking lots, only when the property is part of a special event venue that includes City public property and permission has been received by the property owner/manager (for example, a parking lot used as a venue for a street festival).

Examples of activities that require a Special Event Application include festivals, parades, runs/walks, and farmers/art markets.

Special Event Application

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications at least 60 days prior to the proposed event date if the event does not require road closures or other special considerations.

For events requiring road closures or other special considerations, applications must be submitted at least 120 days prior to the proposed event date.

Review the Special Event Reference Guide below prior to completing an application. The guide details the application process and requirements and ensures that all necessary elements of the event have been addressed.

Completed applications and any required attachments can be submitted to Shelby Goodwin at sgoodwin@palmdesert.gov or mailed to:

City of Palm Desert
Special Events
73510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260-2578

Exceptions

Events on Private Property

If you would like to host an event outdoors located exclusively on private property, such as your business parking lot, a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) must be completed and submitted to the City’s Planning Department.
For more information, please call 760-776-6483 or email planning@palmdesert.gov.

Events at the Park

If you want to host an event at a City park, please contact the Desert Recreation District at 760-347-3484.

Community Event Sponsorship Information

The City of Palm Desert grants cash and in-kind sponsorships to qualified applicants to help support events that benefit our community.

The granting of City funds or in-kind support is evaluated based on the proposed event’s impact on the community. Attention is paid to sponsorships that promote Palm Desert’s attractiveness as a place to visit or live, celebrate the heritage of the City and its surroundings, and enrich the character and quality of life of its residents and visitors.

The City is committed to being a good steward of taxpayer money and will evaluate each request based upon satisfaction of eligibility criteria and compliance with our stated application requirements.

Applicants for community events sponsorships who meet the City's requirements and conditions are not guaranteed approval. Due to budgetary considerations, not all sponsorship requests can be funded. The number of community events that the City sponsors and total allocated budget for these events will vary annually.

Please review the Community Event Sponsorship Policy for more details. Once you have reviewed the requirements, please complete the Community Event Sponsorship Application here. All applications must be submitted online by April 30, 2024 in order to be reviewed.

For more information, please email sponsorships@palmdesert.gov.

Special Event Reference Guide