💜 Lesbian festival · Palm Springs, United States
The Dinah
The Dinah — Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend — is the largest lesbian and queer-women’s festival on earth, and has been since 1991. Every year thousands of women take over Palm Springs for a long weekend of pool parties, live music, comedy and DJ nights in the California desert. It is the single most famous event on the queer-women’s travel calendar.
When is The Dinah?
30 September–5 October 2026 (the 2027 edition returns to spring — around 31 March–4 April). It’s held historically late March or early April each year — recent editions have shifted, so confirm the current dates.
Confirm dates & tickets on the official The Dinah siteAbout The Dinah
A multi-day festival built around daytime hotel pool parties and nightly concerts and club events, drawing lesbian, bi and queer women from around the world. It was founded and run for over three decades by Mariah Hanson (Club Skirts), who stepped back after the 2025 edition — so the event is in a period of transition to new organisers, even as it continues.
The action centres on a host resort’s pools by day and downtown Palm Springs by night — a compact, walkable, famously LGBTQ+ city of mid-century style and desert sun, where the whole town leans into the weekend.
Where to stay for The Dinah
Stay at the official host hotel to be inside the pool-party programme, or downtown Palm Springs to walk to the nightlife — either way book early, as Palm Springs sells out for the weekend.
Compare hotels & stays in Palm Springs
Book early — event stays sell out months ahead
Getting to Palm Springs
Fly into Palm Springs (PSP), right by downtown, or into Los Angeles and drive about two hours. A hire car is useful for the wider desert, though downtown is walkable.
Things to do around The Dinah
- The daytime pool parties — the heart of The Dinah
- Downtown Palm Springs bars and the Arenas District
- Mid-century modern architecture tours
- The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and a Joshua Tree day trip
Know before you go
- The event is between organisers after founder Mariah Hanson retired in 2025 — confirm the next edition and its dates on the official site before booking.
- Dates have recently swung from spring to autumn and back — do not assume; always verify.
- Same-sex marriage is legal nationwide in the US; Palm Springs is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly cities in the country.
The Dinah FAQs
When is The Dinah?
It has historically run in late March or early April, though the 2026 edition was scheduled for 30 September–5 October and the 2027 edition returns to spring (around 31 March–4 April). Dates have shifted recently — always confirm on the official site.
What is The Dinah?
Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend — the biggest lesbian and queer-women’s festival in the world, running in Palm Springs since 1991, built around pool parties and live music.
Is The Dinah still happening?
Yes, but it is in transition: founder Mariah Hanson stepped back after 34 years in 2025 and the event is moving to new organisers. Confirm the current status and dates on the official site.
Where should I stay for The Dinah?
At the official host hotel to be in the pool-party programme, or downtown Palm Springs to walk to the nightlife. Book early — the city sells out.
Plan your The Dinah trip — free
Tell Wavvia your dates and who you are, and it builds a day-by-day plan around The Dinah and Palm Springs — welcoming places to stay, what to do and honest safety context.
Plan my trip — freeEvent dates and programmes change year to year — always confirm the latest details and buy tickets on the official The Dinah site before booking travel. Laws and attitudes vary; verify your government’s travel advice before you travel.