The Coachella Valley isn’t just a destination. During festival season, it becomes the center of the entertainment world. From April’s back-to-back music weekends to August pool parties to March tennis and beyond, this stretch of desert hosts more major events per year than almost anywhere else in the country. And behind every great festival experience is a group of people who want real food, not overpriced stadium nachos.
Big Smoke Trailers is the Coachella Valley’s go-to catering company for festival season. We serve private groups, vacation rental houses, corporate hospitality setups, and villa parties across every major event weekend of the year.
The Valley’s Major Festivals: A Full-Season Breakdown
Coachella Music and Arts Festival
Held every April in Indio at the Empire Polo Club, Coachella is the biggest music festival in the country. It draws hundreds of thousands of attendees across two weekends, and a huge portion of the crowd rents private houses, villas, and vacation properties throughout the Valley. These groups need catering. Big Smoke handles the food so your crew can focus on the festival. Check out our dedicated page on catering for Coachella for the full breakdown of how we work during festival weekends.
Stagecoach Country Music Festival
Stagecoach follows Coachella at the same polo grounds in Indio, typically the weekend after. It’s a different crowd: country music fans, rodeo-adjacent energy, and a strong appetite for serious BBQ. Big Smoke fits Stagecoach like a glove. Slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, and ribs at a vacation rental full of Stagecoach fans: that’s a winning setup. See our Stagecoach festival catering page for more details.
SplashHouse
Every August, SplashHouse takes over Palm Springs resort hotels for a three-day music and pool party festival. Attendees book villas, suites, and private outdoor spaces throughout the city. It’s a hot-weather festival that calls for outdoor catering and poolside spreads. Big Smoke serves vacation rentals and private properties throughout Palm Springs during SplashHouse weekends. Visit our SplashHouse catering page for specifics on how we handle August events.
Desert Trip
Nicknamed “Oldchella” by the press, Desert Trip brought together classic rock legends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio for a weekend experience unlike anything the Valley had seen. While the event is occasional rather than annual, it draws an older, more affluent crowd with serious expectations for food and hospitality. When Desert Trip returns, Big Smoke is ready. Our full-service catering and upscale menu options fit the demographic perfectly.
BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden
Every March, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden hosts one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments outside the Grand Slams. The BNP Paribas Open draws top-ranked players from around the world and an audience of tennis fans, corporate sponsors, and luxury travelers. Groups attending the tournament stay throughout the Valley and often want private catering for group dinners and hospitality events. Big Smoke serves the tennis crowd well: our corporate catering experience and polished presentation are a natural match for this audience.
Goldenvoice Events at Empire Polo Club
Beyond Coachella and Stagecoach, Goldenvoice and the Empire Polo Club host a rotating calendar of concerts, boxing events, and special productions throughout the year. Each one brings a wave of attendees looking for private group experiences around the main event. Big Smoke regularly serves groups in Indio and the surrounding areas during these events, whether it’s a pre-show dinner, a post-event celebration, or a full weekend catering arrangement.
Thermal Club Track Events
The motorsports crowd has its own festival calendar. The Thermal Club, one of the most exclusive private racing venues in the world, hosts track days, racing league events, and member gatherings throughout the year. Groups flying in for track weekends often want serious catering at their private garages or nearby vacation rentals. Big Smoke handles the pit lane BBQ with the same level of quality we bring to music festival crowds.
What Private Festival Catering Actually Looks Like
The experience we provide isn’t complicated to understand: your group rents a house, villa, or vacation property during festival weekend. We show up with our trailer, set up in your outdoor space, and serve a full meal to your crew. You eat well, you don’t spend the weekend fighting restaurant lines, and your event has a focal point beyond just the festival itself.
Here’s what we offer for festival-season catering:
- Drop-off catering for groups that want food ready without a full staffed setup
- Full-service catering with our crew on-site for the full meal service
- Multi-day packages for groups staying the full festival weekend
- Bartending and beverage service to round out the experience
- Corporate hospitality setups for brands, sponsors, and executive groups
- Vacation rental stocking so your house is stocked with food when you arrive
We serve groups from 5 to 250 and everything in between. Festival houses, poolside setups, rooftop terraces, private estates: we’ve worked in all of them.
Corporate Hospitality During Festival Season
Festival season in the Coachella Valley is also a prime time for corporate hospitality. Brands rent houses near the festival grounds for influencer activations, client entertainment, and team events. Executives attend the tennis tournament and host dinners for partners and clients. Companies bring their top performers to the desert for reward trips that coincide with a major event.
Big Smoke handles the food side of these corporate events with the same professionalism you’d expect from a dedicated corporate BBQ catering operation. We know how to serve a business crowd: on time, well-presented, and without any drama. Our golf tournament catering experience also translates well to the corporate hospitality crowd attending the BNP Paribas Open and other high-profile Valley events.
Plan Ahead: Festival Weekends Book Fast
If you’re planning a festival weekend in the Coachella Valley, catering availability goes fast. The same weekends that hotels and vacation rentals sell out months in advance are the weekends everyone wants catering. We recommend reaching out as early as possible to lock in your date.
Request a quote online and let us know which festival weekend you’re targeting, your group size, and your venue. We’ll get back to you quickly with availability and pricing. Or call us directly at (760) 531-6060 to talk through the details.
Big Smoke Trailers serves the full Coachella Valley: Indio, La Quinta, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Thermal, Coachella, and everywhere in between. Whatever weekend brings you to the desert, we’ll make sure the food is worth talking about.
Our Catering Menus
Authentic BBQ
Appetizers: Southern Smoked Sliders · Hickory Bacon Wrapped Dates · Deviled Egg Flights · Smoked Jalapeño Poppers · Cowboy Charcuterie Board · Smoked Chicken Salads
Entrees: BBQ Sandwiches · BBQ Baked Potato · Big Smoked Wings · Big Smoke Bowls
BBQ By The Lb: Big Smoke Brisket · Smoked Sausage · Real Deal Ribs · Pulled Pork · Smoked Pulled Chicken
Sides: Baked Beans · Baked Potatoes · Coleslaw · Mashed Potatoes · Mac n Cheese · Sweet Potatoes
Get the Full Authentic BBQ Menu or call (760) 531-6060
American Cookout
Appetizers: Deviled Egg Flights · Big Smoked Wings · Smoked Jalapeño Poppers · Cowboy Charcuterie Board · Hickory Bacon Wrapped Dates
Entrees: Grilled Tri-Tip Burgers · Big Smoke Bratwurst · Big Smoked Wings · Whole Tri-Tip
Sides: Baked Beans · Baked Potatoes · Coleslaw · Mashed Potatoes · Mac n Cheese · Sweet Potatoes · Grilled Veggies
Get the Full Cookout Menu or call (760) 531-6060
Surf & Turf
Appetizers: Surf & Turf Skewers · Crab Stuffed Mushrooms · Shrimp Cocktail · Lobster Bisque Shots
Entrees: Lobster Tails · King Crab Legs · Grilled Filet Mignon · Surf & Turf Combos
Sides: Garlic Mashed Potatoes · Grilled Asparagus · Roasted Corn · Caesar Salad
Get the Full Surf & Turf Menu or call (760) 531-6060
Authentic Brunch
Appetizers: Smoked Salmon Bites · Mini Quiches · Fruit Skewers · Mimosa Bar Setup
Entrees: Smoked Brisket Benedict · BBQ Breakfast Bowls · Chicken & Waffles · Smoked Breakfast Burrito
Sides: Hash Browns · Fresh Fruit · Pastry Basket · Yogurt Parfaits
Get the Full Brunch Menu or call (760) 531-6060
Book Your Catering Today
Big Smoke serves events of all sizes across the Coachella Valley from intimate gatherings of 5 to large-scale celebrations of 250+. Drop-off catering, full-service setup, bartending, and vacation rental stocking all available.
Call us at (760) 531-6060 or request a free quote online. We will get back to you fast.
Also check out our catering for other Valley events: Stagecoach Festival · Coachella Festival · AMEX Golf Tournament · Bachelorette Parties · Bachelor Parties
