Coachella Valley venues anchor an emerging comedy scene in Palm Springs and beyond

For Palm Springs and other desert cities of the Coachella Valley, live comedy has traditionally meant names like Chris Rock or Ron White filling the area’s numerous casino showrooms, or Kathy Griffin and Wanda Sykes stopping in at the McCallum Theater. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the area’s stand-up options have evolved in size, ambition and diversity.

“Producers are motivated, and they are serious about growing the scene,” says Allison Dyen, a comic originally from Boston who participated in 2018’s first Palm Springs International Comedy Festival at the popular Hotel Zoso. “It’s welcoming, cheaper and calmer than L.A., but you still have easy access to San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas. It’s just a nice little hub.”

Most venues provide unlimited free parking. None require two-drink minimums. L.A.-based comedian and promoter Craig Appelbaum sees the destination weather and steady tourist base as built-in advantages: “I always take a poll at shows: ‘Where are you all from?’ We consistently get visitors from New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, lots of Canadians. It’s a real mix.”

Regional comedy highlights flourish, with unique stagetime opportunities added regularly. “We have always had this incredible Hollywood lineage – stars from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s built this place,” says comedian Dacoda Miracle. “It’s time we had a comedy scene to match that legacy.”

Coachella Valley Brewing Company

30640 Gunther St., Thousand Palms and 155 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

CVBCO’s original Thousand Palms location historically books acts in three different spaces including its tank room and outdoor garden. Among the brewery’s 2025 stand-up highlights are weekly Monday open mics and Bit n’ Tongue Productions’ recurring stand-up night hosted by Dacoda Miracle at 8 p.m. on the last Friday of each month. Since November, a newer downtown Palm Springs outpost delivers its “Late Night in Palms Springs” comedy show every Wednesday at 9 p.m., highlighting regulars like Van Rose and Dominic Houghton.

Desert Beer Company

77770 Country Club Drive, Suite D, Palm Desert

Country Club Marketplace’s anchor craft brewery boasts ingredients ranging from chile peppers to fresh dates. On Tuesday evenings, Jacob Roper hosts Kentucky Fried Comedy’s open mic at 7 p.m., followed by top SoCal Roast Battle competitor Los Digits’ popular show “No Llores,” a head-to-head competition focused on developing joke-writing skills and confidence. “These artists are hungry,” says Indio native Los Digits. “The comedy scene in the Coachella Valley has grown tremendously in the last year. To some people, the desert is a place where nothing beautiful can grow. But smaller venues are helping talent find their voice and giving audiences a glimpse of what the desert has been cultivating.”

Comedian Irene Tu performs at Little Street Music Hall.

(Candace Whalen)

Little Street Music Hall

82707 Miles Avenue, Indio

Elijah James’ “Upcycled Comedy” has booked stand-up in Indio with monthlies at Urban Donkey vintage store since 2024. Dacoda Miracle’s annual Coachella Valley Comedy Festival recently followed suit for its fourth incarnation, moving from Thousand Palms to just down the block. The three-day March event incorporated more than 40 comics with headliners Irene Tu, Avery Pearson and Kyle Rehl; Miracle envisions expanding to additional Indio stages within walking distance as the festival grows. He brings Erik Griffin to Little Street Music Hall on May 10 and Alec Flynn on May 16.

Lush

110 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

The former Sirocco nightclub’s LGBTQ-owned location in front of Hotel Zoso traditionally hasn’t warmed up for drag and dancing until late nights. Beginning in the new year, Craig Appelbaum has hosted locals and touring pros Fridays at 8 p.m. with “Lush Laughs,” with longer sets of up to 30 minutes. Thursdays at 7 p.m., Emily Lentz’s community-forward “Super Skillet” format invites comics to sign up for two minutes apiece. The audience votes for its top three, who immediately return for another 10 minutes before Lentz’s booked headliner. Lush anticipates expanding its comedy branding to Sundays and additional weeknights in upcoming months.

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Quadz

200 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Last Thursdays of every month at 7 p.m., Craig Appelbaum hosts the free Quadz Comedy Night at the Arenas District’s longtime LGBTQ+ video bar. (Karaoke follows.) He counts Caitlin Gill, now living in 29 Palms, among his favorite stand-ups to book. “After COVID, the scene really exploded,” Appelbaum says. “You had people moving to the desert permanently. There was no formal comedy scene, but this thriving culture is being created. I’ve connected with people straight and gay, and I’m consistently surprised by the level of talent. It’s a very welcoming community to be a part of.”

Palm Springs Cultural Center

2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs

The centrally located arts hub is famed for classic film screenings, live music and a weekly farmers market on Saturdays. The multi-space Palm Springs Cultural Center also recently celebrated spoken word like “An Evening with David Sedaris” and the 10 student graduates of the Palm Springs Comedy Class. Nate Wyckoff and Lentz’s eight-week course offers lessons on handling a microphone, the basics of comedy writing, voice projection, stage presence, character development, crowd work and auditioning. Weekly exercises and group critiques culminate in presenting five polished minutes of material on the main stage below.

Revolution Stage Company

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Elevated and innovative theater, musicals and cabaret (plus an assortment of ice cream treats) are the featured fare at Gary Powers and James Owens’ two-year-old renovated space formerly housing the Desert Rose Playhouse and Zelda’s Nightclub. The 150-capacity nonprofit venue also pays equal respect to the art form of stand-up comedy, welcoming intimate evenings from alternative icons like Beth Lapides and Murray Hill and welcoming indie bookings from Dana Eagle, Jason Stuart, Julie Goldman, Mina Hartong, Robin Tyler, Shann Carr, Les Kurkendaal-Barrett and Eddie Brill.

The Rock Gallery

333 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Unit 117, Palm Springs

Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte attended May 1’s afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony at the reopening of the city’s only full-time comedy room. Owner Abe Reisin and performer-producers Pierce Amaro, Alex Avila and Dave Thompson have recently introduced beer, wine, t-shirts and a new digital-media screen at the former music studio turned one-year-old venue. Rock Gallery is already bringing back sign-ups for Monday and Wednesday open mics; Reisin additionally plans to program shows seven full nights a week. Upcoming weekend headliners include Jeff Garcia, Melinda Hill, Jay Light and Ian Edwards.