Indio celebrates 85 years as a city

The City of Indio is celebrating 85 years in the Coachella Valley.

Saturday the community gathered for a free day of fun at the Heritage Festival.

Families learned about Indio’s rich history through photos and cultural activities at the Coachella Valley History Museum.

There was music, dancing, costumes, and even a look at Indio’s Japanese history, who were some of the first settlers and continue to be apart of the cultural community today.

“We are one of the oldest cities in the valley and agriculture was king when it came. We also have the date trees coming and this is the only place in the US where they are grown. There is a huge demand for them now with health being the issue.” said Coachella Valley History Museum’s Elaine Hill.

Families also got free tours of the first school house built in the early 1900s, the Date Museum, a blacksmith shop and a 1927 adobe home.