Palm Springs votes to bring back VillageFest on July 1

VillageFest is back! The popular weekly night street fair will return on Thursday, July 1. It will be the first time since the original stay-at-home order was issued on March 17, 2020.

The city will host the return of VillageFest in a phased approach.

July 1 Villagefest will be a Phase 1 version of the street fair, meaning it won't be as big as it has been in the past.

The Phase 1 layout includes the following road closures:

• Palm Canyon Drive from Amado Road to Tahquitz Canyon Way
• Museum Way from Belardo Road to Palm Canyon Drive
• Belardo Road from Andreas Road to Tahquitz Canyon Way

East and West traffic along Tahquitz Canyon will remain open to traffic in the Phase 1 layout.

The Board to carefully evaluate potential VillageFest vendors for the Phase 1 reopening to ensure the safety of the public, vendors, and staff.

Staff will also continuously monitor the operations of the event for public and traffic safety, and compliance with face mask requirements.

A date for for the street fair to move to Phase 2 has not been established but plans for this version have already been unanimously approved by the VillageFest Board.

With the Phase 2 layout, the original layout of the VillageFest event will be fully implemented.

Due to the narrowing of Palm Canyon Drive with the outdoor dining “parklets” there is reduced space for vendors with Staff estimating a potential loss of 40-50 vendor spaces.

The VillageFest Board will implement some additional safety measures into the weekly street fair such as:
• Removal of the food court tables and chairs.
• Sampling of food products will be prohibited until approved through the Riverside
County Health Department.
• Additional handwashing/sanitation stations throughout the event footprint.
• Additional signage in high use areas, promoting personal hygiene and face covering
requirements.
• Additional cleaning of the portable restrooms on site for the event attendees.
• Spacing between vendor booth will be at least 6 ft apart.
• Encouraging vendor to use cashless system for payment.
• All marketing and community outreach will continue the messaging of all state
recommended safety precautions; including face coverings required at the event.

Palm Springs VillageFest has been held weekly since March 1991. It's held every Thursday in downtown Palm Springs.

It's grown to be one of the most popular weekly street fairs in the region, attracting both residents and tourists alike to check out a variety of small businesses.

Visit villagefest.org for more information.