By Crystal Harrell
On December 10 and 11, the first-ever Desert Air music event will debut at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Desert Air will be a dance music getaway experience presented by Splash House and Goldenvoice.
Notable electronic acts and critically acclaimed DJs will perform in one of the most unique open-air venues, on the tarmac of the Air Museum from sunset through the evening surrounded by the historic aircrafts, the airport runway, and the panoramic shadows of the San Jacinto mountains. Desert Air is also the first standalone music festival to be held at the Air Museum.
“I have always wanted to do more in the desert and at the Air Museum beyond summer. With a new event brand, it allows us to get creative beyond our established foundations on Splash House and delve into new lanes of programming that we may not have otherwise on the existing festival. Likewise, it positions Splash House as a larger curator of electronic music programming and experiences in the desert, which is inspiring in its own right,” stated Splash House Founder & Producer Tyler McLean, who is now also producing Desert Air.
Desert Air is an underground dance music program positioned as a destination travel experience in Palm Springs. The music programming paired with the travel experiences and overall beauty of Palm Springs is designed to make for a special weekend.
The music line-up is sure to get attendees in the spirit of the festival from some of the world’s best genre artists invited, ranging from Innervisions’ icon Dixon, the magnanimous and playful German producer DJ Koze, the Bronx’s prodigal house sons The Martinez Brothers, South Korea’s music-fashion globetrotter Peggy Gou and enigmatic Detroit tastemaker Moodymann.
In addition to big names, there will also be a collection of underground artists sure to impress in the Desert Air lineup. Compton’s Channel Tres will bring his Detroit-house inspired vocals and live show to center stage alongside Ninja Tune’s Grammy-nominated disco infused Jayda G, London’s one to watch TSHA, Canadian deep house DJ/producer Patrick Holland, cutting-edge Manchester trio Mason Collective, German producer and singer Perel, the shapeshifting Chris Stussy, and PVBLIC XCESS’ Chloé Caillet.
The Desert Air music festival will debut with an all-new stage and production build different from previous Splash House and Goldenvoice productions. It will be the biggest installation ever for the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Desert Air has also put forward the event as an equal parts travel experience as it is a music festival. Daytime Affairs at Desert Air is a curated set of local experiences to encapsulate the spirit of Palm Springs to outside visitors. Daytime Affairs includes activities such as mezcal and wine tasting, warbird rides, rooftop yoga and sound bath, guided trail hike, and a guided architecture bike tour.
Rooftop Power Yoga Palm Springs will be held under a clear desert morning sky for yoga flow and sound bath with Kim Funkey. It will be located above the palm trees in the Uptown Design District with unobstructed mountain views. The class includes energetic cleanse and introductions, gentle yoga flow, guided Shamanic journey meditation, healing sound bath, and a discount for a pre or post experience caffeine fix at Cafe La Jefe, the coffee shop located downstairs.
Guests can also book a seat on one of the legendary fighter planes at the Palm Springs Air Museum to experience first-hand what it is like to fly in one of the fastest propeller planes ever built. Attendees can choose between the T-6 Texan and the PT-17 Stearman while learning more details on the planes and ride. The cost for the experience is 195 dollars per person for PT-17 Stearman and 495 dollars per person for T-6 Texan.
Collectively, the Daytime Affairs act as an opportunity for fans to take in all that Palm Springs has to offer while they are in town for the music.
“The immediate focus is having a successful year one with a great experience for those who make it out. We certainly believe there is opportunity to grow this in future years, as we did with Splash House, and we’ll build on it one year at a time,” said McLean.
General Admission pass prices start at 130 dollars plus ticketing fees. VIP passes start at 230 dollars plus ticket fees. Hotel Packages start at 750 dollars for two people and 1,050 dollars for four. Packages include two-night accommodations and Desert Air passes.
Attendees will have the convenience of resort-style accommodations and a site situated just minutes from the heart of Palm Springs. Desert Air package partner hotels this year are The Saguaro and Renaissance.
Proof of full vaccination will be required to enter the Desert Air venue. For more information and pricing, visit desertairfest.com.
