Valley business owners hope for boost from Modernism Week – October attendees

A ribbon-cutting Thursday morning signaled the official start of Modernism Week - October in Palm Springs. It's a four-day-long series of events for people to experience mid-century architecture, culture, and design.

Taking place throughout homes in Palm Springs from October 13 to October 16, the fall version is a smaller-scale iteration of the 11-day festival held annually in February.

In 2019, festival organizers estimated that the February event added nearly $60 million to the desert economy as a result of the 11-day celebration of mid-century design and architecture. At that time, Modernism Week featured nearly 350 events around Palm Springs from Feb. 14-24, with attendance estimated at 152,000 — up 20 percent over 2018.

In 2021, a scaled-down version was pushed to April due to pandemic concerns, but still drew tourists to the desert.

This year, downtown businesses like Destination PSP are stocking store shelves with designs including minimalist and futurist patterns. They are appealing to those seeking to take a little retro design home with them.

Enjoying Modernism Week - October

There are more than 50 different events spanning the four days.

One of the more popular tours is the Premier Double Decker Architecture Bus Tour which is taken on a 2.5-hour tour. The tour is an overview of some of the most significant civic and commercial buildings as part of Modernism Week - October.

Tickets for a number of tours are still available on the website. Bob Bogard, the spokesperson for Modernism Week said there is something for everyone no matter their budget. The events vary from free - $250.