Special Events at Empire Archives

Southwest Arts Festival Indio 2016

November 23, 2015 by EPC Staff Leave a Comment

Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2016, one of the area’s largest and longest-running juried art festivals, will feature traditional, contemporary, and abstract fine works of art by more than 250 acclaimed artists. The festival will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio Friday, January 29 through Sunday, January 31, 2016.

Categories include clay, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography,printmaking, sculpture, textile, and other arts. One of Indio’s largest non-profit fundraisers, more than 200 community leaders and volunteers will contribute numerous hours to ensure its
success.

New to this year’s Festival is the addition of the popular Objet Trouvé Found Art Festival. Objet trouvé, which means “found object” in French, represents an artistic style that uses everydayobjects and ‘found’ materials to create stimulating visual displays. Showcasing a variety of artistswho create these innovative art forms, the Objet Trouvé Found Art Festival will also featurehands-on art demonstrations.

“Our festival has a great reputation for attracting world-class artists, making it one of the finest celebrations of the arts in the country,” says Joshua Bonner, President/CEO of the Indio Chamber Commerce. “It also makes the jury’s decision extremely difficult to select only one piece of artwork out of the many outstanding submissions we receive each year. The sculptural quality of the succulent featured in ‘Agave Temple’ will appeal not only to poster collectors, but to many art and photography enthusiasts as well.”

Named one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association, the
Festival is a nationally recognized cultural event that attracts professional artists from
States as far away as Montana, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Maryland. Located at the
spectacular Empire Polo Club, a premier event destination and home of the world-renowned
Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals, the Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2016 will feature a variety of al fresco dining options and entertainment by talented local musicians. The Desert Sun and CBS Local 2 are Title Sponsors of the event.

The Poster Artist for the Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2016 has been selected. “Agave Temple,” a stunning photograph by Georganna Dean, will be featured on the signature poster of the 2016 Festival. A tradition of the Festival since 1987, the poster will be unveiled during a short reception at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4, 2015 at The Lodge at Terra Lago, 85-370 Terra Lago Parkway in Indio. K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons at Terra Lago is Presenting Sponsor of the 30th annual Festival. Dean, who will be honored at the reception, will also sign a limited number of posters that will be available for sale.

The three-day family friendly festival will be open from 10 AM – 5 PM daily, and admission is Seniors – $8, General – $10, Three-Day Pass – $12, and Children 14 & under – Free. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the Indio Visitors Bureau at 760-347-0676.

To receive regular updates follow Southwest Arts Festival on Facebook, and for more
information call 760-347-0676 or visit southwestartsfest.com.

Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival Jan. 16th-17th, 2016 at Empire Polo Fields

November 9, 2015 by EPC Staff Leave a Comment

Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival Set to Host 330 Teams
Record Setting 9^th Annual Tournament attracts 18,000+ to Valley

Synapse Sports has announced the ninth annual Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival, being held Jan. 16-17, 2016 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Cal., has been expanded to include competition on 51 fields. A record 330 boys’ and girls’ teams – comprised of middle and high school players – are slated to compete in the 2016 event co-sponsored by Under Armour and Gatorade. “We knew when we started Sand Storm in 2008 that it had tremendous potential. A warm weather location, state-of-the-art facility, top-notch competition and detailed organization are the ingredients for success,” said Cathy Samaras, found and CEO of Synapse Sports. “Sand Storm lived up to its potential and exceeded expectations since the beginning. Now it has become a destination event for club teams throughout the country as the premier winter tournament on the West Coast.”

Sand Storm began as a girls’ club tournament geared primarily towards clubs from Western States. It has since expanded its reach and now includes a significant number of teams from the Midwest, East Coast and even Canada. The number of Division I, II and III collegiate coaches scouting talent at Sand Storm has also increased significantly in recent years as the talent pool expanded. Sand Storm added a boys’ component in 2011 and it has grown exponentially under the guidance of Boys Director Michael Watson, US Lacrosse Hall of Fame recipient and former UVA 4-time All American. “It’s a testament to the overall quality of the event. Every team that participates each year has a great experience and it has spread by word of mouth that Sand Storm is a top-notch tournament in terms of a spectacular venue, precise management and strong competition,” Watson said. “A weekend in Palm Springs is very appealing to the out-of-town teams. I couldn’t be more thrilled with how the boys program has progressed.”

Each year at Sand Storm a cut-a-thon is held in support of Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children suffering from long term medical hair loss. Stylists from local salon partner D&G Hair Stories in Palm Desert will be onsite on Saturday January 16^th from 11 AM – 3 PM conducting cuts in the Main Hacienda Registration & Vending Tent. Anyone can come donate hair or check out a game – free admission and parking!

Sand Storm enjoys tremendous local support from the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau and local business community. Host hotels to the event include resort properties La Quinta Resort and Club, Renaissance – Indian Wells and Palm Springs, Hyatt – Indian Wells and Palm Springs, JW Marriott, Miramonte Resort & Spa, Desert Princess Resort, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa, as well as Embassy Suites – La Quinta & Palm Desert, Homewood Suites Palm Desert, Marriott Courtyard – Palm Desert and Palm Springs, Palm Desert’s Residence Inn & Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn Rancho Mirage, Palm Spring’s Ace Hotel, Saguaro, Comfort Inn, Palm Mountain Resort, Palm Canyon Resort and Marquis Villas, and Indio’s Quality Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Royal Plaza Inn. Local sponsors of the event include the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Indio and La Quinta Resort & Club as well as the following restaurants: Kaiser Restaurant Group’s Jackalope Ranch, Las Casuelas La Quinta, The La Quinta Beer Hunter Pub & Grill, Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill, Pacifica Seafood Restaurant, La Quinta Cliffhouse and the Tack Room Tavern.

For more information about the 2016 Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival visit the event website: www.sandstormlacrosse.com

National Hockey Festival at Empire Polo Fields Nov. 26th – 29th, 2015

November 9, 2015 by EPC Staff Leave a Comment

The 2015 National Hockey Festival, presented by CranBarry, is the largest event of its kind in the world that brings together field hockey enthusiasts across multiple divisions ranging from Under 14 to mixed adult to men all to celebrate the sport. Taking place at the Empire Polo Club in Palm Springs, Calif. for the second year in a row, the annual Thanksgiving weekend tournament will run from Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, November 29.

“We are delighted to be hosting the 2015 National Hockey Festival at the prestigious Empire Polo Club in Palm Springs,” said Simon Hoskins, USA Field Hockey Executive Director. “We have 3,000 plus families from across the U.S. thrilled to be spending their Thanksgiving weekend in the Palm Springs community.”

The National Hockey Festival is a beloved tradition that brings people throughout the country together to make memories on and off the field during the holiday weekend. With a rich tradition of history, the tournament gathers more than 6,000 athletes, umpires, recruiting college coaches, families and friends for a showcase of talent, skill and fierce competition.

With only a little more than a month until the event, USA Field Hockey is thrilled to reveal that 147 teams from more than 93 different club teams in the United States and Canada will compete at the prestigious tournament for the earned right to call themselves champion of their pool at the conclusion of the National Hockey Festival.
For more information regarding the 2015 National Hockey Festival, check out the event page.
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Field-Hockey/EVENTS/2015/November/26/National-Field-Hockey-Festival