| | This one is getting to you a day late. It was one of those weeks. | We got out of town Saturday right after Orion's gymnastics and ended up at the Discovery Cube in Santa Ana, that giant cube you have driven past on the 5 a hundred times without ever stopping. First time for me. It is enormous. Indoor, outdoor, room after room, and we still did not see all of it. If you are looking for something new to do with the kids and you can stomach the drive, go. | | | | Headed back to triple digits on Sunday, we hit 99 Ranch Market and loaded up on ramen and fresh noodles, packed them on ice, and have been eating our way through them ever since. Where do you buy Asian ingredients out here? Not restaurants, I know the ramen spots. I mean markets. Hit reply, I’m taking notes. | Anyway, onto the issue. |
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| | City Happenings | Coachella turf rebate is paying up to $3,000 to replace your lawn, calculated at $3 per square foot removed. Open to residential and commercial water customers in the City of Coachella. Details at conservecoachella.com or (760) 398-3502 ext. 205. | Palm Desert is looking for someone to run its farmers market. The city put out a call for an experienced operator to build out the Palm Desert Certified Farmers' Market, and proposals are due Friday 8/7 at palmdesert.gov/market. | Indio wants your input on Sports Park Phase 2. The survey asks what amenities, shade, and features you want next, and it closes Friday 8/14. Link is in the city's bio, or grab a paper copy at Indio City Hall, 100 Civic Center Dr. |
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| | Business Happenings | Eisenhower Health picked up the American College of Cardiology's Chest Pain MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2026, which is a long way of saying their heart attack response times and treatment protocols rank nationally. |
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| | Deal of the Week | Dive-In Movie Night: Aladdin
Friday 8/7, pool opens 5:00 PM, movie around 8:00 PM, Fritz Burns Pool, 78-107 Ave 52, La Quinta
Free, no registration, first come first served until the pool hits capacity. The pool stays open through the movie, so this is a five o'clock arrival and a nine o'clock exit if you want the whole thing. |
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| | Events This Week | Know of an event happening August 11th or later? Let me know. | If you go to something you see in here, reply and tell me about it. That helps me know what's worth putting in front of you. | Wednesday 8/5 | Short list to start, and the best of it starts in the afternoon. | Senior Social
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Mecca Community Center, 65-250 Coahuilla Street, Mecca, ages 50+
Creative arts, games, and refreshments in the east valley. The North Shore version of this runs Wednesday 9/2 if you miss it. | Then one evening option for my anime lovers out there. | Summer 1-Year Mixer
4:30 PM, MK Manga Lounge, 37029 Cook st. #106, Palm Desert
If you love manga and anime, you already know about this one. Celebrate the shop's one year anniversary mixer this afternoon. | | | Thursday 8/6 | An easy Thursday. Two library rooms in La Quinta, then one loud room in Pioneertown. | Chinese Mahjong
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM, La Quinta Public Library, 78275 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, 18+
Drop-in play, not a class, so know the basics or come to watch. | Chess Club
4:00 PM, La Quinta Public Library, La Quinta
Weekly drop-in. | Then the night goes to Pioneertown, and tickets are getting thin. | Petey USA with SRCHR
Doors 8:00 PM, show 9:00 PM, Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown, $31 to $36, all ages
Indoor show. Pappy's has a low ticket warning on this one, so do not plan on walking up. | | | Friday 8/7 | Friday stacks up after four. Everything before that is one movie at the library. | Feature Friday: Vertigo
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Indio Public Library, 200 Civic Center Drive, Indio
Movie time in the air conditioning at eleven in the morning. Teens and adults. | Shimmer and Sweat: tooth gem pop-up
Classes 4:00 PM and 5:10 PM, gems 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, Ara Pilates, La Quinta, gems from $35
Two Friday night classes (Essential Mat with Kaitie at 4:00, and the new weekly Velocity Barre with Ruthy at 5:10) plus Mariah doing semi-permanent tooth gems in the lobby. No appointment needed, about ten minutes to apply. | Movie and a pool, a dance floor, or a drive. | Dive-In Movie Night: Aladdin
Pool opens 5:00 PM, movie around 8:00 PM at sunset, Fritz Burns Pool, 78-107 Ave 52, La Quinta
Free and no registration. Entry is first come first served until capacity, so get there closer to five than eight. | 90's House Party with DJ John Paul and Al Ro$$i
7:00 PM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio, $10, 18+
Ten dollars for a full night of nineties house in downtown Indio. | | | Saturday 8/8 | Saturday carries this one. Start before it gets hot. | Palm Springs Certified Farmers' Market
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, 401 S. Pavillion Way, Palm Springs
It is National Farmers Market Week, so the market is spending all week spotlighting its growers. CalFresh EBT, WIC, and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program benefits are all matched here through the Ecology Center. | Two free yoga classes, thirty minutes apart, half a mile apart. Pick a lane. | FLOW: free yoga with the City of Indio
10:00 AM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio
Free, all ages, all experience levels. Bring a mat and water, though they do keep a limited number of mats on hand. | Library Flow
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, Indio Public Library, 200 Civic Center Drive, Indio
The library's Saturday yoga series starts back up today. Gentle movement, stretching, and breathing, open to all experience levels. Runs every Saturday from here out. | Plant Bingo at Temalpakh Farm
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Temalpakh Farm, 1 Roberta Way, Coachella, $50
Food and refreshments included, and the bingo cards are built around Cahuilla plants. Co-hosted with Friends of the Desert Mountains. Registration required. | By seven the valley is running three different parties at once. | Millennial Night featuring Y2K2K
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Center Stage, 82881 Miles Avenue, Indio
Free, all ages, and built entirely around throwbacks. The City of Indio is putting this one on. | Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind and Fire
Palm Springs
The Sing a Song All Night Long tour lands in Palm Springs. Make sure to buy through the official channel rather than a resale site. | Good vibes in Indio to close out the night. | Alejandro Aranda with Tyler Stone, Jetta King, and Courtney Chambers
8:00 PM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio, $22 advance and $25 door, all ages
Four acts, all ages, twenty-two bucks if you buy ahead. | | | Sunday 8/9 | Sunday keeps it to a short list, and most of it is indoors. | Café Rumba
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio
Every Sunday. | Writer's Block
1:00 PM, La Quinta Public Library, 78275 Calle Tampico, La Quinta
Drop-in writing session. | High Desert Design Week closes
Reset Hotel, Joshua Tree
Final day of the week-long run with Ben Uyeda. Workshops and panel talks with people who make things for a living. Be sure to check out the event schedule ahead of time. | | | Monday 8/10 | Monday gets you three free rooms if you want them. | FLOW: free yoga with the City of Indio
5:30 PM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio
Second FLOW session, same venue, evening slot. Free, all ages, limited mats available. | Pokémon and Gundam TCG tournament plus Beyblades
6:30 PM, MK Manga Lounge
Need I say more?? | Open Mic Night hosted by Desert Nick
Sign-ups 6:00 PM, music 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown, free, all ages
Free, indoor, and the last Pappy's night before the window's closer. | | | Tuesday 8/11 | Tuesday fills up before dinner, then ends loud. | Barre Signature: Sculpt to the 70's and Cardio Barre: Sweat to the 70's
8:15 AM and 9:30 AM, SŌL Barre
Guest instructor Kristin is back with the seventies theme classes, disco ball and all. | Fiber Arts Series: Embroidered Journal
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Rancho Mirage Library, Rancho Mirage
Build a journal with decorative embroidery stitches. Registration required. | Emerge Palm Springs: Social Hour
5:30 - 8:30 PM, Boozehounds, Palm Springs
Third of the three August Emerge experiences. | We close out in Pioneertown. | Anthony Green with Keith Goodwin and Goon
Doors 7:00 PM, show 8:00 PM, Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown, $30 to $35, all ages
Three acts on a Tuesday night, which is not a normal Tuesday around here. |
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| | Kids and Family | Sensory Hour
Friday 8/7, 3:00 PM, La Quinta Public Library, 78275 Calle Tampico, La Quinta
A quieter, lower-stimulation moment at the library. Runs again Monday 8/10 at 10:15 AM. | Booked and Unbothered
Friday 8/7, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Indio Public Library, 200 Civic Center Drive, Indio, ages 10+
Every Friday this month. | Pokémon Club
Friday 8/7, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, La Quinta Public Library, 78275 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, ages 8 to 12 | Zumbini
Saturday 8/8, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio, ages 0 to 4
Free. Music and movement for the very small, in an air-conditioned room, on a Saturday morning. | Hydro Harvest
Saturday 8/8, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, La Quinta Public Library, 78275 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, ages 8 to 12
The library's Flex Farm hydroponics program. Registration is required at the Information Desk and spots are limited. | Game Day with Conflux Gaming
Saturday 8/8, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Cathedral City Library, 33520 Date Palm Dr, Cathedral City, all ages
Six hours of tournaments and free play: Street Fighter 6, Smash Bros Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Tekken 8, Beyblade X, Pokémon TCG. Winners get trophies and prizes donated by local businesses. Tournament registration required. | Frozen Sing-A-Long
Saturday 8/8, doors 2:00 PM, movie 3:00 PM, Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs
Elsa is there in person for photos before the movie, plus a dance party, and a movie ticket is required for both. Sponsored by Carol Fragen. | Neon Family Splash Night
Saturday 8/8, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Palm Desert Aquatic Center, Palm Desert
Night swim with the lights on. Three hours in the water after the sun is down. |
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| | Ongoing | Fritz Burns Pool hours change Sunday 8/9
Fritz Burns Park Pool, La Quinta, adults $4, children $3, under 3 free
New schedule starting Sunday: Monday through Thursday 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Friday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Saturday 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Same pool as Friday's dive-in movie. Questions at (760) 347-3484. | Indio Public Library weekly schedule
Indio Public Library, 200 Civic Center Drive, Indio
Family Storytime every Tuesday 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Preschool Storytime every Wednesday 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Booked and Unbothered every Friday 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Library Flow every Saturday 10:30 AM. August's theme is farming and agriculture and the Shelf Indulgence reading challenge runs all month. Hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 11 to 7, Thursday through Saturday 10 to 6. | Martha's Village donation drive
August 4 through 25, three drop-off locations, Indio and Rancho Mirage
Shelf-stable food, baby supplies, and hygiene items. Drop off at Awareness Program, 45926 Oasis St, Indio (Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM), Seamus Connolly DO, 81880 Dr. Carreon Blvd Suite B207, Indio (Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM), or Addiction Therapeutic Services, 69730 CA-111 N Suite 109, Rancho Mirage (Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM). |
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| | Now Showing | | | Cat Video Fest 2026 (1 hr, 10 min)
Seventy minutes of curated cat videos on a real theater screen, and the proceeds usually go to cat charities. Festival Theaters in Palm Springs is running it four times a day Friday through Sunday (12:00, 2:15, 4:30, 7:00) plus a Monday evening run. | Cookie Queens (G, 1 hr, 31 min)
A documentary about Girl Scout Cookie season and what it actually asks of the girls selling them. Rated G, so it works for the whole family. Playing at Regal Rancho Mirage all week and at Mary Pickford in Cathedral City Friday through Sunday at 11:00, 1:15, and 3:30. | Super Troopers 3 (R, 1 hr, 44 min)
If you know, you know, and if you do not know, this is not where you start. Regal Rancho Mirage and Mary Pickford, showtimes from morning to almost midnight all weekend. | Only Yesterday 35th Anniversary, Studio Ghibli Fest 2026 (PG, 1 hr, 59 min)
One showing only, Sunday 8/9 at 1:00 PM at Mary Pickford in Cathedral City. This is the quiet Ghibli one, a woman on a train ride back through her own childhood, and it almost never plays theatrically. | Grateful Dead Meet-Up At The Movies 2026 (2 hr, 46 min)
The complete June 17, 1991 Giants Stadium show, one of only two the band recorded to 48-track analog tape, which is why it sounds the way it does. Regal Rancho Mirage, Saturday 8/8 at 3:00 PM and Monday 8/10 at 6:00 PM. | Katseye: Wild Hearts (1 hr, 20 min)
PINKY UP!! A theatrical release ahead of the group's third EP, with unreleased footage and fan videos cut in. Monday 8/10 only at Regal Rancho Mirage, five showings from 12:10 PM to 10:30 PM. | The Rivals of Amziah King (R, 2 hr, 10 min)
A beekeeper, a bluegrass band, and an honey business under threat in rural Oklahoma. Monday 8/10 only at Regal Rancho Mirage. |
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| | The Oasis | Happenings that are here to serve you and worth knowing about. | Cooling Centers
Four locations, free to the public, through October 15
Palm Desert Community Center, 43-900 San Pablo Avenue (Monday to Friday 6 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 2 PM). Mecca Community Center, 65-250 Coahuilla Street (Monday to Thursday 9 AM to 1 PM). North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, 99-155 Sea View Drive (Monday to Friday 8 AM to 12 PM and 4 PM to 8 PM). Jerry Rummonds' Community Center, 87-229 Church Street, Thermal (Monday to Thursday 9 AM to 1 PM). | FIND Food Bank can help with your gas bill
FIND Regional Food Bank outreach team
Their outreach team works with SoCalGas programs to get eligible households signed up for utility assistance, and they will walk you through the application. Contact the outreach team directly. | Tenant Rights Workshop
Tuesday 8/11, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, 480 West Tramview Road, Palm Springs
Riverside Legal Aid runs these monthly across the county. This is the only one in this window. No cost or RSVP detail was printed on the calendar. |
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| | Plan Ahead | A few things worth getting on your calendar now. | Tangerine Dream, free show
Saturday 8/15, doors 8:30 PM, show 9:30 PM, Pappy and Harriet's, Pioneertown, all ages
Space Craft got cancelled this year, so Pappy's and Night Howl Productions put the headliner on for free instead. Free admission while capacity allows, which means show up early. | Back to School Fiesta
Saturday 8/15, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Coachella Library, 1500 Sixth Street, Coachella
Free school supplies and a treat while supplies last, with Tin Tin and The Clown Family. Co-hosted with the Coachella Valley Community Action Group. | Southwestern Songwriters Showcase
Thursday 8/20, 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM, The Dune Room, 82707 Miles Avenue, Indio, no cover, all ages
Eight songwriters, one night, hosted by Brad Parker: John Kalb, Derek J Gregg, Lorna Adams, Dan Navarro, Juliette Tworsey, Danni Stefanetti, Courtney Chambers, and Jimmy Steinfeldt. | Plant Bingo Night
Friday 8/21, 6:00 PM, The Indio Brewing, 82900 Avenue 42 Unit G111, Indio, $20 or $30 with a beer
Four rounds, a grand prize winner every round, and everyone walks out with a plant. Early bird pricing ends Wednesday 8/5, so today is the day if you want it. Payment by Zelle at (442) 666-5347. |
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| | | Closing Note | That's the week! | Look at the time… | Time to watch the new season of Ted Lasso, coach. | See you next Tuesday. 🌴 | | | | | | P.S. Want to get your business in front of local Coachella Valley residents? Reach out to partner with The Desert Letter. | | | |
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