Coachella 2025 weekend has officially begun — and MAXIM made sure the desert didn’t just heat up, it exploded into party mode with their Welcome To The Desert Festival Pre-Game Party that had everyone talking.
Held on Thursday night (April 10) at the stunning Laguna Seca Estates in Bermuda Dunes (just minutes from the Coachella fest grounds), this invite-only, star-studded soirée was the ultimate kickoff to festival weekend — and trust us, MAXIM did not hold back. From debuting their jaw-dropping “Take Flight” April cover featuring THE Cindy Crawford (yes, queen!) to celebrating Too $hort’s new Freaky Tales film, this was the party where glam met grit — and it was everything.
Photo Credit: Bobby Rachpoot
The legendary Too $hort turned the party all the way up with a live set that had the dance floor poppin’ off until 2AM. Serving iconic bangers and teasing his new album that’s dropping this coming Friday (April 18), the performance was the night’s crown jewel — but the energy didn’t stop there. DJ sets from Beau Cruz, Quenville, Lightleak and Hamoodie kept the beats flowing while guests danced under the stars in a transformed airplane hangar turned desert-club fantasy. Literal cultural chaos — and we LIVED for it.
The bash also doubled as a celebration for the highly anticipated Freaky Tales, a Lionsgate film based on true events from 1987 Oakland, starring Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, Normani, and the late Angus Cloud. The flick, executive produced by Too $hort and David Weintraub, was front and center as MAXIM gave a stylish nod to the film’s edgy roots with immersive activations, wild storytelling moments, and of course, plenty of celeb cameos.
Photo Credit: Bobby Rachpoot
The guest list for MAXIM’s Welcome To The Desert Festival Pre-Game Party was absolutely STACKED. We’re talking a who’s who of the Internet, music, fashion, and nightlife worlds. Wiz Khalifa, Amber Rose, David Dobrik, Alissa Violet, Dale Moss, Blake Gray, Patrick Ta, Chloe Veitch, Griffin Johnson, Faze Banks, Natalie Noel, Becca Brazil, and even Love Island faves like Kaylor Martin and Mackenzie Dipman were all in the building — and that’s barely scratching the surface.
Spotted mingling among the crowd were also: Joshua Uduma, Red Lotus, Crime By Design, Paul Butcher, Mike Majlak, Olivia Alboher, Mark Estes, Emma Pill, DJ Pookie, Emmy Combs, Skylar Erna, Frenchi Armelle, Bratty, Josh Killacky, Mea Wilkerson and so many more. Basically, if they’re trending on your FYP — they were definitely there.
Photo Credit: Bobby Rachpoot
MAXIM and their brand partners understood the assignment. The event featured endless activations from faves like Heineken, Absolut, Skrewball Whiskey, Casa Azul Tequila, LaCroix, and FanFix — but the true highlight? A collab moment we didn’t know we needed: Brooklyn Beckham’s Cloud 23 x Mike Majlak’s 10/10 Burger debuting a spicy AF food pop-up that had everyone lining up for flavor. Plus, David Dobrik’s Doughbrik’s Wavers snack chips officiallylaunched here — first bite was iconic.
Festival-ready glam was on lock thanks to Live Tinted’s touch-up bar, while True Religion debuted their latest denim drip (hello, insta-ready fits). Reclip’s podcast studio, Skrewball’s shot challenge, and interactive everything had guests snapping, sipping, and soaking it all in. LA’s new nightlife giant Zouk Los Angeles (brought to you by sbe + Zouk Group) brought the luxe vibes with bottle service and their signature hospitality magic — adding that Vegas energy to this Cali cool crowd.
Photo Credit: Bobby Rachpoot
For over a decade, MAXIM’s Welcome To The Desert party has been that girl of festival season — and with production led by Zev Norotsky and his powerhouse team at ENTER, this year’s edition raised the bar once again. The event marked a wild, celeb-heavy reunion in the desert for artists, influencers, industry elites and anyone who’s anyone heading into Coachella weekend.
Click through the gallery to see the best snaps from MAXIM’s Welcome To The Desert Festival Pre-Game Party and don’t forget to let us know if you’re excited for all things Coachella by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
Photo Credit Bobby Rachpoot. For more coverage from Coachella 2025, click here.
