Desert Hot Springs celebrates its 60th Anniversary

The City of Desert Hot Springs hosted a fun filled day for the community to celebrate their 60th Anniversary as an incorporated city. Desert Hot Springs was incorporated on September 17, 1963.

"Well, over 60 years, one of the highlights would be when we finally got a stop sign," says Council member Russell Betts. "We didn't used to have one of those. Now we have a bunch of them. It's just been nice watching the town grow. I talked to some of the old timers, and they said, Wow, I used to be a sleepy, quiet little town. Those of us who haven't been here quite that long still think of it as a nice, quiet place to live. But you know, we're growing. That's it's all about celebrating 60 years and a city that's growing. We're doing good here."

Betts says his goal as the city continues to grow is to ensure the city is fiscally sound and the budget is in order. He also mentioned that as the city continues to grow, he hopes to see more retail and shopping opportunities.

A young entrepreneur from Desert Hot Springs had a popup store at the park, and she says that she started her business because of the lack of retail options. "Once Kmart closed its outlet, the thrift store closed, it was hard for us to find clothes that one, we can afford and two, that was like nearby for us," says the owner of More to Love boutique, Ericka Rocha. "It was really important for us to give that back to Desert Hot Springs.

The celebration provided resources from various nonprofits at the park and chances to sign your child up for extracurricular activities. "We are gonna be playing soccer," says eight year old Micheal and Coltin.

 Date: Sunday, September 17, 2023
 Time: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
 Location: Mission Springs Park

What locals experienced throughout the celebration:

• Live Music and Performances
  • performances by Ozomatli and Las Tias.
• Food & Refreshments:
  • Local vendors and Beer Garden
• Fun Activities for Kids:
  • Kite Flying
  • Bounce House
  • Face Painting