The Desert Rat Convention is returning to Twentynine Palms. The gathering used to be a May Day tradition in the hi desert starting in 1937 and lasting until 1948, when Pioneer Days moved to October and eliminated the spring family fun event.
It made its triumphant return in 2024 where they had mining demonstrations, mini golf, rock painting, a rat raffle, Hastie Bus tours, BBQ and old timey music.
This year it returns on April 25 and 26th for the this year’s festivities, which promises to get a little spooky with its first event.
Friday night kicks off at 5:30 with “Desert Echoes: Voices from the Past.” Enjoy some hi-desert ghost stories from some old Desert Rats at the Twentynine Palms Public Cemetery. The event will be catered with food and drinks by the Dez out of Joshua Tree. Tickets are $50 and the event has limited capacity.
Day is completely free and will feature the Mojave Mini Donkeys, the 760 Snake Club, a geode station and lots more family-friendly fun. There will also be $25 BBQ dinner in the evening, with wine and beer for sale as well, along with music from the Melancholy Babies. It will be held at the Historic Old Schoolhouse Museum, which is an attraction on its own.
