MAXIM Ignites the Desert With Star-Studded Pre-Festival Bash Celebrating Cindy Crawford, ‘Freaky Tales,’ and a Legendary Too $hort Set
- Victoria Pfeifer
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
MAXIM turned up the desert heat with its highly-anticipated Welcome To The Desert pre-festival bash—an explosive kickoff to festival weekend that blended fashion, film, and music under one sky.
Held at the lavish Laguna Seca Estates in Bermuda Dunes, the annual desert takeover paid homage to MAXIM’s April “Take Flight” cover featuring none other than the timeless Cindy Crawford, while also premiering the buzzed-about Freaky Tales film with a special live performance by West Coast legend, Too $hort.
The party lit up the desert night with over 1,000 VIP guests swarming the transformed airplane hangar space, where the music thumped, drinks flowed, and the celebrity sightings were endless. Guests included everyone from Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose to David Dobrik, Dale Moss, Alissa Violet, and Blake Gray—just a sampling of the who’s-who that came to celebrate the cultural chaos only MAXIM could deliver.
Rap icon Too $hort tore up the stage with a headlining performance that had the crowd packed onto the dancefloor well into the early hours. With his new album dropping April 18th, Too $hort gave attendees a taste of what’s to come, seamlessly weaving classics into a charged live set. The night was further elevated by DJs Beau Cruz, Quenville, Lightleak, and Hamoodie, who kept the energy sky-high all night long.
This year’s Welcome To The Desert wasn't just a party—it was an immersive playground of brand activations, digital storytelling, and festival-forward fashion. True Religion rolled out their latest denim collection with style, Live Tinted brought luxe glam to the desert with their beauty bar experience, and Brooklyn Beckham’s Cloud 23 linked with Mike Majlak’s 10/10 Burger for a spicy culinary collab that debuted live.
Meanwhile, David Dobrik’s Doughbrik’s Snacks introduced their new Wavers snack chips, and Skrewball threw down a peanut butter whiskey shot contest activation that had guests lining up. A live podcast studio hosted by Reclip kept the content flowing, while cocktails from Absolut, Casa Azul, and La Croix refreshed the crowd in the desert heat.
The night also served as a cinematic celebration for Freaky Tales, a new Lionsgate feature film executive produced by Too $hort and David Weintraub. Inspired by true events from 1987 Oakland, the film is directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Captain Marvel) and stars Pedro Pascal, Normani, Jay Ellis, Tom Hanks, and the late Angus Cloud in his final role. With its Sundance debut earning high praise and a national release now in motion, the film was the perfect touchstone for an evening rooted in bold storytelling and legendary energy.
The guest list was stacked with A-listers and digital elites. Among the many spotted at the event: Patrick Ta, Chloe Veitch, Becca Brazil, Natalie Noel, Shannon K, Red Lotus, Griffin Johnson, Emma Pill, Paul Butcher, Joshua Uduma, Freaky Tales director Ryan Fleck, and executive producer David Weintraub. Love Island stars, influencers, and recording artists like Markos D1 and Great Ezihie kept the vibes fresh and festive across the estate.
Zouk Los Angeles, the newest nightlife gem from sbe and Zouk Group, brought the Vegas-level hospitality with VIP bottle service and curated party experiences, ensuring this wasn’t just a party—it was a statement.
Produced by LA-based experiential agency ENTER and creative mastermind Zev Norotsky, the event marked a decade-long tradition of turning Palm Springs festival weekends into must-attend lifestyle moments. Now held at Bermuda Dunes, Welcome To The Desert continues to serve as a reunion for the entertainment industry’s most influential names—from music to fashion, digital to nightlife.
With a perfect blend of glam, grit, and next-level storytelling, MAXIM’s kickoff celebration didn’t just welcome festival season—it redefined it.