Indio, California

===Annual events===
[[File:Coachella 2014 sunset with balloon chain and Lightweaver.jpg|thumb|The festival grounds of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2014]]

Because of the numerous festivals and special events held annually in Indio, the Chamber of Commerce deemed Indio's official nickname to be "The City of Festivals".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gcvcc.org/indio/ | title=GCV Indio Chamber of Commerce |author=<!--Not stated--> | date=October 15, 2018 | access-date=September 28, 2019}}</ref> Indio is considered the second County seat, the Riverside County Fairgrounds is a facility that hosts various events year round such as music concerts, 4x4 [[monster truck]] rallies, rodeos, and other special events.

Two major annual festivals are the Indio International Tamale Festival and the [[Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival]] and are held each February at the Riverside County Fairgrounds, located on Highway 111 in the heart of Indio. Since 1947, this festival has celebrated the [[Phoenix dactylifera|date]] fruit crop of the Coachella Valley. The Tamale Festival is held each December on the streets of Old Town Indio and holds one [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] as the largest tamale festival (120,000 in attendance, Dec. 2–3, 2000) and once held the record for the world's largest [[tamale]], [over {{convert|1|ft|m|sigfig=1}} in diameter and {{convert|40|ft|m|sigfig=3}} in length], created by Chef John Sedlar, but that record has since been surpassed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indio.org/news/displaynews.htm?NewsID=369&TargetID=48,49,1 | title=Indio International Tamale Festival Coming Up December 2 & 3 | author=<!--Not stated--> | access-date=September 28, 2019 | archive-date=August 1, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801205120/https://www.indio.org/news/displaynews.htm?NewsID=369&TargetID=48,49,1 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1993, Paul Tollett, president of [[Anschutz Entertainment Group|Goldenvoice]], booked a [[Pearl Jam]] concert at the [[Empire Polo Club]] in Indio, and six years later, the [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]] was born.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013304180060 |title=Indio, Goldenvoice work closely in putting on Coachella |last=Peña |first=Xochitl |date=April 19, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613083610/http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013304180060&nclick_check=1 |archive-date=June 13, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2001, Coachella has been an annual event that has brought notable music acts to the desert, including: [[AC/DC]], [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[Guns N' Roses]], [[Prince (musician)|Prince]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[Lady Gaga]], [[Beyoncé]], [[Ariana Grande]], [[Kanye West]], [[Radiohead]], [[Dr. Dre]], [[Snoop Dogg]], [[Pixies (band)|Pixies]], [[The Cure]], [[The White Stripes]], [[Jay-Z]], [[Tool (band)|Tool]], [[Beastie Boys]], [[Jane's Addiction]], [[Roger Waters]] and several others. Coachella extended the festival to three days in 2007. Organizers eliminated single-day tickets in 2010 and went to three-day passes only. The festival continues to draw large numbers of concertgoers to Indio and the Empire Polo Club, a venue that ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' said possessed a "lush beauty... that made the desert seem very far away."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/coachella-provided-an-antidote-to-woodstock-99s-hangover-19991011|title=Coachella Provided an Antidote to Woodstock 99's Hangover|last1=Mirkin|first1=Steven|last2=Goldman|first2=Marlene|date=October 11, 1999|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=Wenner Media|access-date= April 21, 2013}}</ref>

In May 2007, Goldenvoice, promoters of Coachella, started [[Stagecoach Festival|Stagecoach]], a three-day [[country music]] festival held the weekend following Coachella. Performers have included [[George Strait]], [[Kenny Chesney]], [[Eagles (band)|the Eagles]], [[Sugarland (band)|Sugarland]], [[Taylor Swift]], [[Carrie Underwood]], [[Luke Bryan]], [[Keith Urban]], and [[Kid Rock]].

In 2013, ''[[OC Weekly]]''{{'}}s Dave Barton described the arts scene in Indio with "seems to consist of [[Johnny Cash]] tributes, chalk art, [[Camel racing|camel]] and [[Ostrich#Races|ostrich races]], and [[Neil Simon]] revivals."<ref name="Barton 2013">{{cite web|first1=Dave |last1=Barton |url=http://www.ocweekly.com/arts/florian-ayala-fauna-art-magickian-6425518 |title=Florian-Ayala Fauna: Art Magickian |work=[[OC Weekly]] |publisher=OC Weekly, LP. |date=February 7, 2013 |access-date=August 17, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006210659/http://www.ocweekly.com/arts/florian-ayala-fauna-art-magickian-6425518 |archive-date=October 6, 2016 }}</ref>

[[File:Richards, Wood onstage Desert Trip 2016-63.jpg|thumb|right|The Rolling Stones performing at Desert Trip on October 7, 2016]]

In 2016, Goldenvoice brought together [[The Rolling Stones]], [[The Who]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[Bob Dylan]], [[Roger Waters]], and [[Neil Young]] for a 3-day mega concert known as [[Desert Trip]]. Desert Trip took place at the same venue as the Coachella Music Festival, over two three-day weekends, on October 7–9 and 14–16, 2016.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.valleymusictravel.com/events/desert-trip/ | title=Desert Trip | access-date=September 10, 2016 | archive-date=September 9, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909092724/http://www.valleymusictravel.com/events/desert-trip/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Despite Desert Trip becoming the highest-grossing music festival in history, Goldenvoice founder Paul Tollett has not announced any plans for a second Desert Trip, stating that it's not necessary for it to "turn into another franchise festival".<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-desert-trip-goldenvoice-20170512-story.html |title=No Desert Trip this year; Goldenvoice's Paul Tollett says it doesn't need to 'turn into another franchise festival' |last=Lewis |first=Randy |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=May 12, 2017| access-date=September 28, 2019}}</ref>

Indio is also the site of many other annual arts, culture, and entertainment festivals and events. Among these include:

* The Southwest Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club
* The Cabazon Indian National [[Pow wow]] at [[Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino]]
* The Palm Springs Kennel Club's Annual Dog Show and Rhythm at the Empire Polo Club
* The Heritage/Living History Festival at the Coachella Valley History Museum
* The [[Family Motor Coach Association]]'s Annual Western Region RV Rally at the Riverside County Fairgrounds
* The Sand Storm [[Lacrosse]] Festival at the Empire Polo Club
* [[Arbor Day]] Celebration
* Indio Tree Lighting Ceremony
* [[Dia de Los Muertos]] Celebration at the Coachella Valley History Museum
* Taste of Indio at Jackalope Ranch
* The California BBQ State Championship & Festival