Palm Springs Pride is the annual LGBTQ+ celebration of a city that has long been one of America's great queer escapes. Held every November, it lands at the start of the desert's high season, when daytime temperatures settle into the mid-20s °C and the pool-and-patio lifestyle Palm Springs is known for is at its best. The 2026 edition, running 6–8 November, is the 40th annual Pride, and the city is marking the anniversary in style.
The weekend opens on Friday with kick-off events in the Arenas District, the cluster of gay bars and restaurants just off downtown Palm Canyon Drive. Saturday is given over to the festival and a packed nightlife programme across the city's resorts and bars, with pool parties at the clothing-optional men's resorts a big draw.
The parade steps off at 10am on Sunday 8 November in Uptown and heads south along Palm Canyon Drive to Amado Road. It is a community-scale parade rather than a mega-event: local organisations, businesses, drag performers and Coachella Valley residents line up alongside visitors, and the morning start means you can claim a spot in the shade and still be poolside by lunch.
Palm Springs Leather Pride is a separate event held the week before Pride (29 October – 1 November in 2026), so a longer stay lets you catch both. The city also hosts the International Bear Convergence each February and a busy calendar of resort parties through the winter season.
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is a few minutes from downtown, with seasonal direct flights from across North America; most visitors from further afield fly into Los Angeles and drive about two hours east. Downtown and the Warm Sands and Arenas areas put you within walking distance of the parade route and nightlife. Pride weekend is one of the busiest of the year, so book early — the men's resorts in particular sell out.
Palm Springs Pride 2026 runs 6–8 November and is the 40th annual celebration. Kick-off events in the Arenas District on Friday 6 November; the parade steps off at 10am on Sunday 8 November. Palm Springs Leather Pride runs separately the week before. Check pspride.org for the full programme.
282m away
