
Modernism Week, Palm Springs. Photo: Great Palm Springs
Plan ahead and discover annual regional events in Southern California — local festivals, creative cultural gatherings, and seasonal celebrations — all worth the detour.
In September, Palm Springs delivers LGBTQ+ Cinema Diverse and Paul McCartney kicks off his ‘Got Back’ tour. In October, celebrate Modernism Palm Springs, while the Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood is a date for party lovers. November celebrates Greater Palm Springs Pride, Junior H at the Hollywood Bowl, and the celebrated LA Auto Show.
Special Events in Southern California: Worth the Detour
Cinema Diverse Film Festival
September 20-28, 2025, Palm Springs
International film festival presenting LGBTQ+ cinema from around the world including a mix of short films and feature films at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
Paul McCartney
September 29, 2025, Palm Springs
Bringing his live ‘Got Back’ tour to the USA, Paul McCartney plays musics from The Beatles to Wings to solo hits— the music that defined decades. The tour kicks off at Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs.
Modernism Week
October 16-19, 2025, Palm Springs
Highlighting midcentury modern architecture, art, interior design, and vintage culture in Palm Springs, the Fall festival features the popular Palm Springs Modernism Show with 130 dealers, tours of iconic homes, informative talks, and much more.
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval
October 31, 2025, West Hollywood
One of the largest Halloween street parties in the world, this event features live entertainment, fantastic costume contests, and full-on revelry on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Dia de Los Muertos
November 1, 2025. Los Angeles
26th Annual: The Hollywood Forever Cemetery provides the perfect setting to commemorate the Day of the Dead. It features vibrant traditional costumes, musical performances, altars, and calaca (skeleton) makeup.
Greater Palm Springs Pride
November 6-9, 2025, Palm Springs
Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in Palm Springs, this event features a parade, festival, and a series of parties, bringing together locals, and welcoming visitors.
Junior H
November 7,-8, 2025, Los Angeles
Part of his $AD Boyz Live & Broken Tours, Junior H brings his vibes to the Hollywood Bowl, blending corridos tumbados, trap and heartbreak anthems. Think Tres Botellas, El F, Entre Nosotros, El Hijo Mayor …
LA Auto Show
November 21-30, 2025, Los Angeles
118th Annual: Test drives and rides, latest models, custom and exotic cars – the LA Auto Show unveils the world’s greatest automotive and mobility innovations.
Full Calendars of Events
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Los Angeles
- (Pair your LA travel with LA itineraries from Slow Down See More)
- Palm Springs
- (Pair your Palm Springs travel with Palm Springs itineraries from Slow Down See More)
- West Hollywood
- (Pair your West Hollywood travel with West Hollywood itineraries from Slow Down See More)