2027 Festival

The thirteenth annual  Rancho Mirage Writers Festival will be February 3–5, 2027. The Festival is sold out.

The Stars Align

In 2027, our theme will be “The Stars Align.” Join us for an unforgettable Festival featuring celebrated writers and speakers who are shining stars in fiction, nonfiction, history, medicine, arts and culture—all coming together for fresh perspectives, bold storytelling and incredible live conversations.

America’s Best Writers Festival

The Rancho Mirage Writers Festival is a world-class gathering of the finest writers who contribute to the intellectual vitality of our time. The City of Rancho Mirage, California, welcomes 60 to 70 authors and over 1,000 readers from around the globe to the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory each year. Jamie Kabler, who wanted to bring a premier intellectual event to the Coachella Valley, founded the Festival in 2014, which has been described as “Coachella for the brain.”

Our mission is to bring our readers a rich and diverse program with topics ranging from politics, history, humor, and health to genre and literary fiction. Our writers are all experts in their field, distinguished historians, respected journalists and gifted storytellers. Many are recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize as well as New York Times bestsellers.

2027 Festival sold out
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Angels
Pink graphic illustration featuring tropical leaves, pineapples, and abstract floral elements.
Purple abstract illustration with tropical leaves and patterns.
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2026 Writers
Readers
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FAQs
A building with two large silver observatory domes, surrounded by desert landscaping and palm trees, with mountains in the background.

Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory

Modern building with a curved brick wall, a metal logo, and a large roof overhang, surrounded by trees and flowers, with a mountain in the background.

  • The Festival, as well as other year-round events, are held at the award-winning Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory. The Library ranks at the top of California libraries in check-outs per hour, books added annually, total annual visits and total check-outs per capita for children and adults. The Library is the home of the Festival, as well as the site for our other community events including the RMWF Writers Series.

  • The Rancho Mirage Observatory opened on March 25, 2018, as a teaching and learning tool for all ages, intended to further public understanding of our night skies while offering new programming opportunities in astronomy. The Observatory plays an integral role in the growth of the Rancho Mirage Library’s campus. Constructed adjacent to the Library’s western entrance, the addition of this research level facility underscores the Library’s commitment to lifelong learning in the direction of the sciences. Through onsite tours, public stargazing, educational programming and special events, the Observatory creates limitless astronomy engagement opportunities for enthusiasts of all ages and levels of expertise.

City of Rancho Mirage

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Desert landscape with cactus plants, leafless trees, and snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky.

  • Nestled between the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains to the south and the snowcapped San Jacinto range to the west, Rancho Mirage stands as an oasis of extraordinary beauty in the heart of the desert. Long favored by presidents, corporate leaders and Hollywood icons, this exclusive enclave has become the desert’s premier luxury destination.

    • Known as the “Playground of Presidents”, with Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon and Barack Obama among those who made Rancho Mirage their desert home

    • Perfect weather, averaging 65–80 degrees in January and February

    • Luxury resorts and world-class spas, including the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, Sensei Porcupine Creek and the soon-to-open Cotino Storyliving by Disney

    • A golfer’s haven, with nine prestigious courses within city limits and access to more than 100 across the Coachella Valley

    • Cultural and lifestyle highlights include the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory, The River, the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater and the historic Sunnylands Center & Gardens

    • Premier entertainment venues such as the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater, The Show at Agua Caliente Resort & Casino and the nearby McCallum Theatre

    • Signature events including the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival, the Galleri Classic, the Desert Jazz Festival and Rancho Mirage Observatory OPENights

2026 by the Numbers

72

WRITERS + SPEAKERS

1,200+

ATTENDEES