Festival season is no longer just resigned to summer and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Desert Air to the line-up. Setting up camp at Palm Springs Air Museum on 10th and 11th December, the first ever Desert Air brought artists like Peggy Gou, DJ Koze and The Martinez Brothers under the desert sky for two nights of epic music, dancing and debauchery, and we went along for the ride.

Taking flight on Friday, Parisian DJ Chloé Caillet kicked things off around sunset, with the Air Museum’s impressive array of planes lit up in full fluorescent lights to really set the mood. The unique venue provided plenty of photo ops, with experiential artist Veronica Gessa (aka Mokibaby) supplying several installations, including a neon palm tree sculpture and giant cubes filled with disco balls that have since taken over our IG feeds.

From the tarmac to the VIP hangar, the crowd warmed up quickly despite the freezing temperatures, so by the time Grammy-nominated Jayda G hit the stage the party was in full swing. Playing hits like “Both Of Us” and “All I Need”, Jayda kicked things up a notch, before Dixon and The Martinez Brothers rounded out the starry night in high gear.

Back at the colourful Saguaro Palm Springs, which – along with the Renaissance – was an official hotel partner for Desert Air, Saturday afternoon recovery included a poolside happy hour and mezcal tasting, with music from Splash House and Goldenvoice Enzo at the helm, a full array of daytime affairs kept attendees refreshed and entertained, with yoga, guided trail hikes and even warbird plane rides on offer.

We ventured to local wine bar Dead Or Alive for a natural wine tasting under the guidance of owner and sommelier, Christine Soto, and found our zen in a dozen oysters and some bottle shopping ahead of Desert Air night two. Splash House founder Tyler McLean stopped by to check in on proceedings, clearly pleased to see attendees enjoying this wintery alternative to his tentpole summer festival, which was established back in 2013.

A quick costume change later and we were back at the Air Museum, with TSHA bringing the early evening beats and Cali’s own Channel Tres supplying the crowd with his infectious energy both behind and in front of the decks.

With many fans having come specifically to see Saturday night headliner, Peggy Gou, Desert Air ended on a real high as she dropped most recent singles “Nabi” and “I Go” among her hit-packed 90-minute set.

While we definitely need the holiday season to recover, we’re already looking forward to Splash House 2022 and hopefully a second outing for Desert Air next winter. See you there!