The organizers of Desert Daze 2024, which was planned for October 10-13 in Lake Perris, CA, are deeply saddened to announce that the event has been canceled. Sadly, major tours and music festivals are being canceled left and right, so the news does not surprise us. If it’s challenging for corporate entities such as Live Nation and AEG to keep these tours and festivals going, imagine how hard it is for an independent music festival. Pair that with the force of Mother Nature, and it’s a risk that some music festivals can no longer take.
Major music festivals around the country, from Governors Ball to Lollapalooza, no longer possess that tempo of urgency surrounding their sales. In fact, a massive number postponed their return in 2024: including Life is Beautiful (which has reworked itself into a new format with Big Beautiful Block Party), Lovers & Friends Fest, Made In America Festival, Firefly Music Festival, and Okeechobee Music Festival—and those are just the ones in the United States. Abroad, major events like Lollapalooza Paris and Splendour in the Grass in Australia revealed they’ll be taking a hiatus this year.
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The trip back to the oasis that is Desert Daze was scheduled to feature performances by Jack White, The Mars Volta, Cigarettes After Sex, Thundercat, Alex G, 100 Gecs, The Kills, Beach Fossils, DIIV, Charlotte Adigery with Bolis Pupul, Say She She, Hinds, Sasami, and more.
Tickets to Desert Daze were priced at $299 (GA Tier One) to $1,999 (VIP PLUS Tier One).
All pass holders will be refunded, and will be contacted directly via their point of purchase.
“Desert Daze is more than a festival or business venture to us,” notes Desert Dazeco-founder Phil Pirrone. “The community that we’ve cultivated together means so much to us and is the reason we will work to find a way to keep this beautiful thing going for many years to come.”
“With each year, we do our best to serve the Desert Daze community,” adds Pirrone. “We are always learning and working diligently to improve the experience, and we tried everything to find a way forward this year. While we hit pause for now, we will be working in the background to deliver another special experience for all of us to share in the future. We thank you for your support.”
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Grimy Goods has been covering Desert Daze since its inception as Moon Block Party back in 2012. We’ve seen the festival shapeshift and evolve into all that it has become today, with each year getting bigger and better while staying true to its mission of delivering a vibey experience unlike any other with “sonically diverse artists from the worlds of psych rock, hip hop, electronic, jazz, and more.”
It’s a punch in the gut to see one of the few remaining independent music festivals take a bow, but perhaps we’ll see a reincarnation of the more intimate Moon Block Party days. The concert industry is currently seeing a return to small club shows, with bands like Jack White and Modest Mouse trading in amphitheaters and arena tours for smaller venues. Whichever route Desert Daze takes, we know this beloved festival will stay alive in some form or another.
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While the festival hits pause for a moment, organizers have shared that they are working on something special for fans to experience in the future.
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