See our top must-attend summer music festivals in SoCal
From the Joshua Tree Music Festival to Head Trip, here are 10 summer and fall music festivals in Southern California to explore in 2026.
When the Perseid meteor shower lights up the high desert sky later this summer, Pioneertown will lean into the cosmic vibes.
The Space Craft festival will be held Aug. 14 and 15 and will include live music, telescope sessions, space talks, film screenings and much more.
Festivities take place across several Pioneertown venues, including Pappy and Harriet’s, Desert Willow Ranch, Pioneertown Motel and the Red Dog Saloon.
A stacked lineup with Tangerine Dream, ESG, Sun Atlas and more
Space Craft will feature performances by German electronic music band Tangerine Dream, dance rock band ESG, funk and psychedelic jazz band Sun Atlas and more.
Tangerine Dream is considered to be one of the pioneers of electronic music and has been featured on soundtracks for films such as “Risky Business,” “Sorcerer” and “Legend.” However, none of the members from the original 1967 lineup remain.
The identities of both Sun Atlas members, who wear colorful costumes covering their entire bodies, are unknown. But the band performs a blend of afrobeat, jazz, rock, and funk that has to be seen to be believed.
The gateway to this celestial gathering starts with a ticket
If the Perseids are calling your name, tickets are available at pappyandharriets.com.
Here are the prices.
- 2-day Supernova all-access pass: $298.17
- 2-day Interstellar weekend traveler pass: $267.09
- Friday single orbit day pass: $128.75
- Saturday single orbit day pass: $179.01
Why Perseid meteor shower is an annual display worth seeing
Made up of leftover particles from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, the Perseids meteor shower gained its reputation for the plentiful whizzing meteors and blazing fireballs it reliably produces each year pretty much around the globe. Fireballs, large explosions of light and color, can persist even longer than an average meteor streak, NASA says.
In 2026, the Perseids will be active July 17-Aug. 24, peaking for two nights between Aug. 12-13.
Skygazers in California up to travel for optimal viewing of the meteors can visit Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks in Southern California, which the National Parks Conservation Association has designated as Certified Dark-Sky Parks. In 2023, the showers brought droves of cars up Highway 62 to Joshua Tree National Park and nearby areas.
Previous reporting by USA TODAY and Desert Sun staff was included in this report.
Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.desertsun.com ’
