A Wet and Wild End to Splash House’s 10th Anniversary Season
It was a wet and wild celebration a decade in the making as Splash House closed out its milestone tenth season in Palm Springs. The pool party-festival hybrid was thrown a major curveball this year as Tropical Storm Hilary forced event organizers to leave its famous poolside setting on the final day of the weekend.
However, the threat of rain and the unprecedented nature of this historic storm did not hold much weight to the hundreds of partygoers eager to leave it all on the dancefloor.
From the trio of hotels to the after-hours air museum offerings, Splash House reigned supreme across the desert resort town while ominous clouds hovered throughout the weekend.
With this being the popular SoCal event's decennium festivities, the roster of talented tastemakers was on another level. The final Splash House of 2023 started off strong as Chris Lake, Lubelski, and Franklyn Watts descended upon the Friday night afterhours soiree at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
On Saturday, guest excitement was firing on all cylinders across all three host hotels. Whether that be from the first official day of pool activities or the possibility of rain canceling the second half of the festival, attendees were all in high spirits, even in humid conditions.
Starting at the Margaritaville Resort, the tropical vibes of this chain hotel blended perfectly with the poolside house music echoing across the landscape. Casmalia, Freak On, Ship Wrek, Bleu Clair, and Matroda all helped elevate the spirits of attendees in this sultry setting.
The kitschy and colorful Saguaro, with its mid-century modern flair, was surrounded by creative balconies designed by attendees of the event. This throwback hotel saw sun-kissed DJ sets by Mangu, Mac Morse, Demuja, Sosa, Kyle Walker, and Skream.
At the contemporary Renaissance, which boasts the largest pool complex in the city, the lively atmosphere carried on. Here, guests were treated to the four-on-the-floor beats curated by acts like Starfari, Tobehonest, Tita Lau, Volac, and rising house duo Sidepiece (Party Favor and Nitti).
Eventually, the rain had to come, and the first wave of drizzles from Tropical Storm Hilary made its way across the Coachella Valley late Saturday evening, just as the second after-hours show commenced.
Acting as a bit of a reprieve, revelers danced in the rain as Kream finished their extended set. The highlight of the night, however, was the unprecedented DJ set from Channel Tres. Known for their live performances with backup dancers and rapping abilities, the production was a standout with soulful vibes and groovy beats.
As the storm intensified on Sunday morning, event coordinators shared via social media that the party would be moved indoors to the ballrooms of all three host hotels. And so, for the final day of its tenth-anniversary celebration, Splash House parted ways with its noteworthy pools and offered a more intimate club-like setting throughout the day.
All three ballrooms were bumping, as some of the most anticipated DJs of the weekend brought their A-game to the remaining partygoers who braced the storm for one final day of house music.
Highlights from across all venues on Sunday include Mary Droppinz, Classixx, Chapter & Verse, Juliet Mendoza, Daynk, Westend, and Tchami.
Ultimately, Splash House managed to continue its tradition of showcasing top house music tastemakers even in unusual circumstances. The organizer's choice to pivot indoors instead of canceling the second day of programming should be commended.
The popularity of this unique event only continues to grow, and we cannot wait to continue dancing for another ten years in the desert.
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