Palm Springs to celebrate Independence Day with festivities, fireworks, family fun

Several organizations across Palm Springs will host Independence Day celebrations Thursday and Friday, providing residents and visitors with multiple options for patriotic festivities throughout the weekend.

The city will kick off the celebrations Thursday with a party at VillageFest in Downtown Palm Springs along Tahquitz Canyon Way and Palm Canyon Drive from 7 to 10 p.m. The municipal event will feature family games, arts and crafts, live music and free snow cones while supplies last.

On Friday, the city will continue its festivities with an all-American pool party at the Palm Springs Swim Center, 405 S. Pavilion Way, from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. The event will include inflatable slides, water games, poolside music and food, with attendees able to view the city’s fireworks display from the water.

Baseball fans can also attend a Friday night game at Palm Springs Stadium, 1901 E. Baristo Road, where the Palm Springs power face the Summer Collegiate League All-Stars. First pitch is at 6 p.m.

The city’s Fourth of July activities conclude Friday night with a concert in the park and fireworks display at Sunrise Park, 480 S. Sunrise Way. The free outdoor concert featuring Hard Days Night, a Beatles tribute band, begins in the evening, followed by the “All American Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular” at 9:15 p.m.

Also this weekend, the swim center will host a Dive-In Movie Night on Saturday, where guests can float under the stars during a screening of “Captain America.” The pool opens at 6 p.m., and the movie begins at 7 p.m.

Separately, the Palm Springs Air Museum will host its own Independence Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at 745 N. Gene Autry Trail. The event will allow visitors to explore vintage aircraft, participate in family-friendly exhibits and experience special programs honoring the nation’s military heroes.

If fireworks aren’t your thing, you might consider heading to Indio, where that community is hosting a drone show as part of its Independence Day Bash at Empire Polo Grounds on Friday. Admission is free and gates open at 6 p.m. The drone show is scheduled to start at 9:15 p.m.

Agua Caliente Casino will hold patriotic festivities at its locations in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage all weekend. The Palm Springs location will feature food deals and live DJs on the casino floor. On Friday, a free drive-in fireworks experience starts at the Rancho Mirage location — 32-250 Bob Hope Dr. — around 9 p.m. at the south parking lot. Gates open at 3 p.m.

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