Get Ready For Three Food Fests … All In One Weekend
This November, the Coachella Valley is hosting three different food and drink festivals—all in one weekend.
The Eighth Annual Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival and Food Truck Fiesta takes place Friday, Nov. 18, through Sunday, Nov. 20, offering family fun, some of the best food trucks in Southern California, and a beer garden; most of the events are in downtown Cathedral City. Admission to the festival is $10 for adults; $5 for children; and free for active military members and residents of Cathedral City. Attendees can purchase food directly from the food trucks. Learn more at www.hotairballoonfest.com.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, the 10th Annual Props and Hops Craft Beer Festival will celebrate a decade of top-flight brews at the Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail. Organizers promise more than 40 breweries and at least four trucks will participate; entertainment and airplane rides (for an extra fee) are also on offer. Tickets for the event, which takes place from 1 to 6 p.m., start at $60 in advance; designated drivers can get in for just $5. Get tickets and details at palmspringspropsandhopsfestival.com.
Also on Saturday, Nov. 19, Palm Springs Stadium is hosting the Palm Springs Wine and Food Experience, presented by USA TODAY. The event, from 1 to 4 p.m., is billed as a gourmet showcase of local chefs and emerging talent, with some of the proceeds benefiting Find Food Bank. Tickets start at $65, available at wineandfood.usatoday.com/events/palmsprings.
While it’s great that all of this is going on, it’s a shame that it’s all on the same weekend—with two events happening at more or less the exact same time.
In Brief
The Reno, Nev.-based Churrasco Brazilian Steakhouse is planning on opening a second location in Palm Springs, at 450 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in the space formally occupied by Woody’s Palm House. (Hmm … our newly acquired sister newspaper is in Reno. Perhaps we started a trend?) For those unfamiliar with a churrascaria, it is a meat lover’s paradise of all-you-can-eat grilled meats sliced off skewers tableside. The Palm Springs location should be open by the end of the year, fingers crossed; learn more at churrascobr.com. … Just down the street, at 333 S. Palm Canyon Drive, the long-awaited Reforma, from the same people who own Chill Bar, is slated to open in mid-November. This nightclub and restaurant next to BevMo! will feature food inspired by Mexican, Chilean and Argentinean cuisines. Watch reformaps.com for updates … In February, we reported that another establishment, Impala, a Mexican sports bar, was set to open in this same building, hopefully in March. Well, that didn’t happen. We haven’t received an update, but they do have some signage up, so hopefully we will see them soon. … Smoke Tree BBQ, at 1775 E Palm Canyon Drive, No. 405, in Palm Springs, has closed. A Mexican restaurant with a modern twist is due to replace it, with a hopeful opening in late November. The new owner has a background in photography and design; that, combined with the space’s beautiful outdoor patio, gives me confidence that this will become a fine hangout. Watch this space for updates. … If you love bread, and who doesn’t, you may know that last spring, Peninsula Pastries, at 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, lost its bread baker. Well, I am ecstatic to report that they have brought in a new baker from France, as well as new bread ovens. Baguettes are on the menu once again! Learn more at www.facebook.com/PeninsulaPastriesPalmSprings. … Sushi Kitto has opened in Indio, at 42250 Jackson St. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday. Indio keeps adding options for hungry residents! Details at sushikitto.com. … The owners of Grill-A-Burger in Palm Desert have two new restaurants. Coming soon is Hide Out Kitchen, to 73595 El Paseo, Suite 2208, next door to Tommy Bahama. It will feature American comfort food with a twist. Open now is TQLAS Agave Bar and Grill, at 78015 Main St., Suite 109, in La Quinta, where the new owners are planning on highlighting traditional Mexican dishes with contemporary ingredients. Get details on TQLAS at tqlas.com.
Got a hot tip? Let me know: foodnews@cvindependent.com.
Wish I wasn’t being a Debbie Downer but….
Reforma is in an area where there’s already issues w/vagrancy and homelessness….I hope it doesn’t add to that mix or make it worse. A nightclub there is a terrible idea….
thank you for all of the fantastic updates!
Excellent information! I am counting the days until I can be back in beautiful, fun Palm Springs for another winter of hedonistic joy making.