Las Vegas
New Events, Classic Tours and a Desert Modern Celebration
By Ken MacIntyre
November 6, 2025 (Palm Springs) – Every February, Palm Springs transforms into a living museum of midcentury style, design and innovation … and in 2026, Modernism Week promises its most dynamic celebration yet. Running from February 12 – 22, the annual 11-day festival will feature more than 450 events and highlight the best of Desert Modernism, from architectural tours to preservation talks, to glamorous retro parties under the stars, and more.
This year’s programming introduces new home tours, neighborhood experiences and even global design awards, while also honoring enduring icons of Palm Springs style. Before you purchase your tickets (now on sale at ModernismWeek.com) here’s a preview of what you can look forward to.
Nelda Linsk with an updated version of Poolside Gossip
Honoring the “First Lady of Modernism Week”
Among next year’s most heartfelt tributes will be a multi-event celebration for Nelda Linsk, the beloved Palm Springs tastemaker immortalized in Slim Aarons’ iconic ‘Poolside Gossip’ photograph. Her star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars will be rededicated during the festival’s Kick-Off Free Event (Feb. 12). Now inscribed with the title “First Lady of Modernism Week.”
Fans can also attend This is Your Life, Nelda Linsk (Feb. 19), a live retrospective with special guests, and Poolside Gossip, More Than a Photograph (Feb. 21), a rarely screened documentary film featuring Nelda Linsk herself.
The World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize Comes to Palm Springs
For the first time in its history, the World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize will be presented outside New York (Feb. 18). The biennial award honors exceptional work in preserving modernist architecture and aligns perfectly with Modernism Week’s preservation-first mission. The winner will be announced January 20, 2026.
The Marquee at Twin Palms, photo by Millicent Harvey
Featured Homes: New Designs and Classic Spirit
Two show-stopping homes will headline next year’s featured tours:
-Soleil House (Feb. 12-18, 20-22), a 1963 gem newly reimagined by designer Trina Turk, captures the Palm Springs aesthetic in bold color and effortless indoor-outdoor flow. Guests can also opt for a special sunset reception with Turk herself.
-The Marquee at Twin Palms (Feb. 13-16, 20-22), restored by H3K Home + Design, offers a luminous vision of midcentury elegance with glass walls, a dramatic breeze block entry, and a sparkling poolside cabana. Both homes embody the blend of preservation and innovation that defines Modernism Week.
New Tours: Rediscovering Hidden Icons
Fresh for 2026 are several tours offering first-time access to architectural treasures.
-The Boat House (Feb. 16), Michael P. Johnson’s 1989 cliffside marvel in Southridge, shaped like a ship poised for the high seas.
-Inside the Designer’s Home (Feb. 18), a peek inside a 1972 modernist renovation at Seven Lakes.
-The Butler Residence (Feb. 19), a 1964 Hal Lacy design newly renovated yet faithful to its original spirit.
Other must-see tours revisit timeless icons including Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann Residence gardens, E. Stewart Williams’ Edris House and Frank Sinatra’s ‘Twin Palms’ estate.
All aboard! Modernism Week Double Decker Bus Tours
Beloved Bus Tours Return
Few experiences capture the spirit of Modernism Week like the open-air double decker bus tours (Feb. 12-22) and the lineup for 2026 is better than ever. Each tour will offer a fresh perspective on the city’s enduring architectural magic.
-The Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus Tour remains a festival staple, offering a 2.5 hour overview of the city’s architectural highlights.
-Charles Phoenix’s Super Duper Double Decker Bus Tour mixes mid-century modern architecture with Phoenix’s trademark humor and retro storytelling.
-Bella da Ball’s Celebrity Homes Bus Tour promises a a campy ride through Palm Springs’ glitzy past.
-Sinatra’s Rat Pack Homes & Hangouts spotlights the desert haunts of the era’s biggest stars.
-Illuminated Twilight Bus Tour which bathes several modernist icons in the magic glow of the golden hour.
Neighborhood Explorations: Five New Ways to See Palm Springs
Modernism Week 2026 expands its neighborhood tour series with five new additions. Visitors can explore:
-Casa Dorado at Indian Wells (Feb. 15), an elegant 1964 community surrounded by lakes and palm trees.
-Alta Revealed (Feb. 16), with its soaring Narendra Patel designed desert contemporary homes.
-Andreas Hills II (Feb. 21), a William Cody modernist enclave with lush grounds and mountain views.
-Firebird Estates (Feb. 21), featuring seven curated homes with distinctive rooflines in the heart of palm Springs.
The Firebird Estates home tour in Palm Springs
-Tour with the Author: Unseen Midcentury Desert Modern with Dan Chavkin (Feb. 17), offering access to rarely seen homes by Donald Wexler, Stan Sackley and others.
Returning favorite Neighborhood Tours will include Vista Las Palmas, Racquet Club Estates and the Royal Hawaiian, among others, each providing an intimate look into the areas that define Desert Modernism.
Parties with Midcentury Flair
From glamorous soirées to retro-themed adventures, Modernism Week’s parties are legendary. Several new highlights will include:
-Starlight Soirée at the Marquee (Feb. 14), an evening of design and dancing at one of the festival’s featured homes.
-Sunset Cocktail Reception with Trina Turk (Feb. 15), a luxe, first-look event at Soleil House.
-A Night of Sparkle: Cocktails at Piazza di Liberace (Feb. 19), complete with live piano, flamboyant décor and vintage glamour.
-License to Thrill: The Music of James Bond (Feb. 15, 16), a mod cocktail party featuring The Gand Band and spy movie flair.
-The Hidden Estate Party (Feb. 19), a vintage Hollywood night at the Clark Gable and Carole Lombard home.
And, of course, the Opening Night Party: Modernist Motown (Feb. 12) sets the tone for the week with cocktails, live Motown hits and Palm Springs panache.
Charles Phoenix’s ever popular Big Retro Slide Shows
Talks, Films and Preservation Focus
Modernism Week continues to educate as much as it entertains. Nearly 80 talks and films will explore topics from architectural preservation to pop culture. Included among the many standouts are:
-Charles Phoenix’s Midcentury Travelogue slideshows are returning by popular demand, you’ll never laugh so hard. Choose from either Grand Tour of Europe in the 50s and 60s (Feb. 14), or The Great American Retro Road Trip (Feb. 21), or do both!
-Saving Fallingwater (Feb. 18) and Endangered Modernism (Feb. 19), both delving into and exploring the preservation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces.
-100 Years of Route 66: California’s Midcentury Icons (Feb. 15), take a ride down the Mother Road and celebrate neon signs and roadside architecture with Barkev Msrlyan of Merch Motel.
-Modernism and the Future of Housing (Feb. 21), a symposium at the Palm Springs Art Museum where experts will revisit the architectural innovations that defined early Modern housing as a springboard for reflections on contemporary projects.
-California Cool: Explore Palm Springs and Beyond Through the Modern Paintings of Danny Heller (Feb. 18), artist Danny Heller whisks you away to the sunny Southern California suburbs and car culture that fill his bright paintings of an optimistic era.
-World premiere films GOOGIE (Feb. 14), a definitive feature-length documentary on a pivotal chapter of Modern architecture, and Arthur Elrod: Desert Cool (Feb. 15) which explores the work of the noted Palm Springs designer.
-Aqua Modern: Indoor and Outdoor Pools of the Catskills (Feb. 19), photographer Isaac Jeffreys explores midcentury modern glamour and American leisure by illuminating resort pools in the historic Catskills.
The Sunnylands Tour in Rancho Mirage
Fan Favorites Return
Longtime attendees can also look forward to beloved staples such as the Palm Springs Modernism Show (Feb. 14-16), the Vintage Trailer Show (Feb. 21-22), Sunnylands tours in Rancho Mirage (Feb. 18-22), the free Vintage Car Show (Feb. 16) and Palm Springs Historical Society Walking Tours (Feb. 12-22). These enduring classics continue to attract design devotees from around the world , linking the festival’s modern energy to its midcentury roots.
Modernism Week 2026 promises to be a landmark edition, a celebration of community, creativity and conversation. Whether you’re cruising past iconic architecture on a double decker bus, stepping inside a newly restored midcentury gem, or raising a cocktail to the desert sky, this is your invitation to experience the living legacy of modernist design.
Tickets are now on sale at ModernismWeek.com