The Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival: What it is, when it happens and where to stay

If you're heading to the Coachella Valley for a youth lacrosse tournament, there's a good chance it's the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival. It's one of the biggest annual sporting events in the valley outside of Coachella and Stagecoach, and it fills up short-term rentals across Indio, La Quinta, and Palm Desert for a busy January weekend. Here's what it is, when it happens, and how to plan your stay.

WHAT IS THE SANDSTORM LACROSSE FESTIVAL?

The Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival is an annual youth lacrosse tournament held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, the same festival grounds that host Coachella and Stagecoach. Organized by Sandstorm Lacrosse, it bills itself as the largest single-site lacrosse tournament in the world, and the numbers back that up: the 2026 edition drew 547 teams from 29 states and 2 provinces, playing 1,401 games across 87 fields over a single weekend.

The festival brings together hundreds of boys' and girls' youth lacrosse teams from across the country for a two-day format: pool play on Saturday followed by playoff brackets on Sunday, with every team guaranteed a minimum number of games. It's free and open to the public to watch, which also makes it a popular draw for local spectators and families who just want to see a national-caliber tournament up close.

QUICK STATS (2026 EDITION)

• 547 teams

• 29 states represented

• 87 fields

• 1,401 games played

WHEN IS THE SANDSTORM LACROSSE FESTIVAL?

The Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival is held every year in mid-January, over a Saturday-and-Sunday weekend, at Empire Polo Club in Indio. The next confirmed dates are:

2027 Festival: January 16 to 17, 2027

Demand for the 2027 festival has been high enough that organizers have already placed a waitlist on team registration across all divisions. If you're traveling with a team or as a family to watch, that's a strong signal to lock in lodging early, well before the January weekend itself.

Because the tournament runs on a single January weekend rather than a multi-week season, demand for nearby short-term rentals spikes hard and fast in the days around the event, and softens quickly once it's over. That makes it a very different booking pattern than a longer event like the Thermal horse show season: shorter window, sharper spike.

WHY THE FESTIVAL MATTERS FOR COACHELLA VALLEY VISITORS

With hundreds of teams and their families traveling in for a single weekend, the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival puts real pressure on lodging across the Coachella Valley, especially in Indio, where Empire Polo Club is located, and in nearby La Quinta and Palm Desert. Many families and coaching staffs prefer a house over a hotel room for the weekend, since it gives a team or extended family a shared space to eat, rest between games, and stay together.

If you're traveling with a team, a club, or just to watch a son or daughter compete, booking a home near the polo grounds ahead of the January weekend is the difference between a short drive to the fields and a long one.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Where is the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival held?

A: At Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Avenue 51, Indio, CA, the same venue that hosts Coachella and Stagecoach.

Q: When is the next Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival?

A: The 2027 festival is scheduled for January 16 to 17, 2027.

Q: How big is the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival?

A: It's billed as the largest single-site lacrosse tournament in the world. In 2026, it drew 547 teams from 29 states and 2 provinces, playing 1,401 games across 87 fields.

Q: Is the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival open to spectators?

A: Yes, the City of Indio designates the event as free and open to the public to watch.

Q: Where should I stay for the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival?

A: Most teams and families stay in short-term rental homes in Indio, La Quinta, and Palm Desert rather than at the polo grounds itself. See our companion guide on where to stay for the Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival for specific neighborhoods and gated communities.

BOOK YOUR STAY

Superstay manages a curated portfolio of vacation homes across the Coachella Valley, close to Empire Polo Club and set up for teams, families, and groups.

Browse available homes and book your stay: https://book.superstayrentals.com/en/properties?minOccupancy=4

Note: Dates and division details for future Sandstorm Lacrosse Festival editions should be confirmed with the organizers as they are finalized. This article will be updated as new dates are announced.