Splash House Brought the Heat, and a New Era

Splash House returned to Palm Springs amid record-breaking heat and new changes poised to shape the festival’s future. Splash House 2026 brought some of the hottest days to Palm Springs, California, with one reaching 115° Fahrenheit. The Hilton, Renaissance, and Saguaro hotels transformed a typical hotel stay into an all-day festival, complete with beverages, colorful floaties, and pools filled to capacity. Let’s review what made this year so special and the changes made in its 13th edition. A few things have shifted the feel of Splash House in 2026, including increased strictness regarding outside guests in the hotels. A new rule mandated that wristbands be worn for hotel guests, excluding outsiders from joining in the all-night afters (the ones after the afters, to be specific). This changed the energy a bit. In previous years, chaos usually ensued after the daytime festival. With parties in various rooms and doors left wide open, everyone flooded the hotels and got to see smaller DJ sets straight from their beds. Notably, Hilton has joined the trio of hotels that host Splash House, replacing Riviera. With the Hilton and Renaissance just a five-minute walk apart, bouncing back an...