Coachella weekend officially begins in two short days! Do you know who you’re going to see yet? Probably not, because set times still haven’t been released — we feel your pain — but at the very least, this gives you an ample amount of time to figure out which delicious food on the festival grounds (and raging parties nearby) you want to check out.
People travel far and wide to come out to the weekend-long festival, some people even go totally insane and decide to get tickets to BOTH weekends. But not having a ticket at all doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun. Many California locals show up strictly for the parties taking place nearby. So, whether you’re hitting up Coachella this weekend, next weekend, both weekends, or just looking to party near one of the world’s biggest music festivals, we got you.
Here are the best parties happening minutes from Coachella on both weekends.
Rhonda Queen of the Desert w/ Virgil and Nina Kravitz
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwDLJa8HFJH/
When: April 12. Weekend one.
Where: HITS Desert Horse Park 85555 Airport Blvd, 85555 Airport Blvd, Thermal, CA 92274, USA
Los Angeles’ A Club Called Rhonda will be setting up shop in the desert for a late night rendezvous of house and techno’s most cutting edge producers and DJs this year. Rhonda Queen of the Desert will be held at the HITS Desert Horse Park with headlining sets by Russian techno producer Nina Kravitz and Virgil Abloh — who apparently has never heard of taking a break — on April 12th.
Located just a few minutes from the festival grounds, this is the perfect party to hit up post-Coachella for those of you who refuse to call it a night.
Day Club Palm Springs
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvxO09_ga3s/
When: April 12-14 weekend one and April 19-21 weekend two
Where: Hilton Palm Springs 400 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
If you spend most of your time at Coachella in search of the best dance music, you might be better off skipping Coachella altogether and hitting Palm Springs for Day Club at the Hilton Hotel. Day Club offers some of dance music’s biggest names in an intimate poolside venue — which honestly sounds a whole lot more chill than hanging out in the desert far from the stage at the Coachella festival grounds.
Day Club will be held during both Coachella weekends with the first-weekend lineup featuring Nora En Pure, Rüfüs Du Sol, and the final night curated by Los Angeles based nightclub Sound. Day Club’s second-weekend lineup is perfect for fans of Diplo’s Mad Decent crew, with the DJ headlining Friday, April 19th, and Dillon Francis and Bite Me label head Jauz filling out the rest of the weekend.
Indio Invasion
When: April 13. Weekend one.
Where: Cathedral City, City Hall Parking Lot 68700 Ave Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City CA 92234
Some of us are early birds no matter how late into the night we find ourselves partying, so if you find yourself awake at noon while the rest of your friends are still recovering from Coachella’s first night, head over to Cathedral City for the fifth annual Indio Invasion. Chill out poolside and dig into some savory snacks while you enjoy a midday DJ set by everyone’s favorite electro-funk duo Chromeo.
Café Mambo Ibiza
When: April 13. Weekend one.
Where: The Saguaro Palm Springs 1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92264
On Saturday of weekend one, the San Antonio based Café Mambo Ibiza will be throwing a special pool party featuring DJs Dom Dolla, Latmun, Offaiah, and other special guests. This party is on the cheaper end, so if you aren’t liking the lineup Saturday night at Coachella, consider hitting up Café Mambo Ibiza at the Saguaro in Palm Springs, tickets are only $15!
Brunch Eats & Beats Vol. III
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwAMj8aBjsU/
When: April 14. Weekend one.
Where: The Saguaro Palm Springs 1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92264
The midday festival lineup can be a bit of a drag, so if you aren’t feeling the right vibe on Sunday head over for brunch and a midday disco at the Saguaro for Brunch Eats & Beats. Enjoy music by DJs, J Woogie, Mogli, Rozco and Z_Ro and access to brunch. We imagine brunch here is a whole lot more mimosa-based than it is food, but hey, here’s hoping!
Which brings us to the RSVP form. Mysteriously brunch is written thusly: “Brunch.” Why the quotes? Does this mean brunch won’t be food? Seriously we want to know what we’re going to be eating — we’re going to need food Sunday morning, desperately!
Grab tickets here, maybe you’ll get food, who knows?!
4Hunnid After Party
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvSAccaF36m/
When: April 14. Weekend one.
Where: HITS Desert Horse Park 85555 Airport Blvd, 85555 Airport Blvd, Thermal, CA 92274, USA
If your whole reason for going to Coachella starts and ends with YG, then well, sorry, but you’re weird, you could’ve just saw YG on his own for way less money! But if you merely like YG a normal human amount, you’re going to want to hit up this after party at HITS Desert Horse Park that is being hosted by YG himself, following his Sunday set on the polo field.
Shabbaaaa Sound System’s resident DJs, Sean G and Drewbryd, will help fill out the night and keep you dancing into early Monday morning. And interactive art installations and CBD Drops are expected — which will be a nice way to unwind from a long weekend.
Dankchella
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTExe1gF6Zr/
When: April 20. Weekend two.
Where: City Of Dank 68-444 Perez Road Suite H&I Cathedral City, CA 92234
Dankchella will make you forget all about Coachella. No, really, we actually mean if you spend any time here you might forget where you are. It’s Dankchella — there will be lots of weed. Dankchella lands, quite ceremoniously, on 4/20, the national stoner’s holiday, and is definitely worth checking out if you’re going to Coachella’s second weekend.
This free event will feature over 15 weed vendors with complimentary food from Chef Dany. Yes, a chef with just a single name, like Cher! If you can’t bring yourself to trust a one-named chef, did we mention there will be weed and likely all sorts of cannabis-infused snacks?!
Dankchella will be held midday, so you don’t have to worry about being so high that you miss out on the headliners.
Grab tickets here. Just kidding we already said it was free you stoners!
Ardy Party/Desert Hearts
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhx7AcKBD08/
When: April 20. Weekend two.
Where: The Saguaro Palm Springs 1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92264
Ardalan of Dirtybird Records fame will be taking his Ardy Pardy to Palm Springs on Coachella’s second weekend, along with the Desert Hearts Crew, for a wild pool party at the Saguaro. Headliners will include Mikey Lion and Lee Reynolds of Desert Hearts, Astley, SABIO, and more.
The Ardy Pardy has made appearances at both Miami Music Week and Art Basel, and we can’t promise that you’ll be as happy as the cartoon dolphins on the flyer, but we have a pretty good feeling that you might be. Nothing makes a cartoon dolphin smile like DJs spinning dance music. Real dolphins on the other hand, well, there is no winning with them.
