The MAXIM 2025 “Welcome To The Desert” annual festival kick off party highlighted the new “take flight” themed Cindy Crawford April cover with a headlining desert bash performance by rap icon Too $hort with notable guests in the crowd such as Amber Rose, Alissa Violet, Dale Moss, David Dobrik, Wiz Khalifa, Blake Gray, Patrick Ta, Faze Banks, and many more.
MAXIM hosted a dynamic evening of cultural chaos in celebration of the festival ahead, also highlighting the newly released Freaky Tales film, offering a hybrid high-impact experience filled with digital storytelling for over 1,000 VIP guests. The MAXIM “Welcome To The Desert” festival weekend party was held minutes from the festival grounds at Laguna Seca estates in Bermuda Dunes, featuring sprawling grounds and an airplane hanger transformed into the focal point of the nightlife festivities.
Notable Talent in attendance inclusive of Music artists, actors, models and influencers included Too $hort, Wiz Khalifa, David Dobrik, Alissa Violet, Amber Rose, Patrick Ta, Blake Gray, Chloe Vietch, Becca Brazil, Dale Moss, Joshua Uduma, Red Lotus, Crime By Design, Natalie Noel, Shannon K, Griffin Johnson, Mark Estes, Faze Banks, Olivia Alboher, Emma Pill, Paul Butcher, Freaky Tales Executive Producer David Weintraub and Director Ryan Fleck, Mike Majlak, Love Island personalities Kaylor Martin, Mackenzie Dipman, Kendall Washington and Harrison Luna.
A headlining performance by rap legend Too $hort (whose new album drops April 18th) wowed the high energy crowd with an iconic set to a packed dance floor, layered with DJ sets by Beau Cruz, Quenville, Lightleak and Hamoodie.
Key partners for the evening included Heineken, Absolut, Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Casa Azul Tequila, FanFix, Culture Kings, and LaCroix, with highlighted activations by partners such as Brooklyn Beckham’s Cloud 23 x Mike Majlak’s 10/10 Burger (debuting a new collaboration), Doughbrik’s Snacks’ Wavers, mainstay fashion trendsetter True Religion, Live Tinted, Liquid IV, Reclip App, Lovesac, Vacation, Filthy, Ooka, Monster Energy, Nasty Beast Hard Tea, The Beast, Tour Water, Jameson and FanFix, the immersive indoor/outdoor event schematic was sure to set the tone for an exciting 2025 festival weekend, with guests partying in the warm desert air until 2am.
Additional influencers and notables in attendance include Peyton Knight, Veronika Rajek, Skylar Erna, Natalie Paulick, Cj Franco, Madison Brodsky, Madi Teeuws, Great Ezihie, Recording artist Markos D1, Dayna Marie, Olivia Brown, Adam Cohen, Shyra, Brooke Morrison, Kelsey Cathleen, Stavrina Anar, Kristi Cook, Loren Piretra, Jade Brewster, Welcome, Taylor Renfroe, Ariel Bell Sebastian Topete, Theresa Jae, Amen Benyam, Tarlan Tarlanian, Blue, Andrei Gillot, DJ Pookie, Anastasia Rose, Eugenia Schlitter, Matt Rhoades, Emma Furr, Frenchi Armelle, Josh Killacky, Emmy Combs, Mea Wilkerson, Carmelle & Jay Truel, Jeff Tirado, Bratty, Nicole Monge, Ana Perez, Meredith Shiney, Sergio Farias, Jermaine Mitchell, Harrison Luna, James Goldcrown, Stephanie Sands, Shelly Tedghi, Maddie Roe & Sarah Roe, Cesar Daniel, Manny Mazurek, Zaki Dean, Shayli Marciano, Alannah Keyser, Taylor McPherson, Natasha Fisker, Karina Marquez, Piper Phillips, Natalie Abatemarco, Wissal Choqri, Mitchie Chiu, Haley Jackson, Simon Pompan, Trae Meyer Whalley, Robert Graham, Neela Jolene, and many more.
Zouk Los Angeles, which recently made its grand opening debut from top global hospitality leaders Sam Nazarian’s sbe and Singapporean nightlife powerhouse, Hui Lim of Zouk Group (Zouk Las Vegas), brought the nightlife flare to the Maxim party with VIP bottle service and hospitality.
Additionally, the highly anticipated Maxim festival kick off party in the desert was themed in celebration of the theatrical release for the much buzzed about Lionsgate feature film Freaky Tales. “A wild ride for the viewer” based on true events of 1987 Oakland, the movie is Executive Produced by Too $hort and David Weintraub (DWE Talent), written and directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Captain Marvel), which hit theatres nationwide April 4th. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival to much acclaim starring Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Tom Hanks, Normani, Kier Gilchrest, Ji-Young Yoo, Ben Mendolsohn alongside Too $hort, and was Angus Cloud’s final movie. (Trailer Here).
As noted, to further engage party attendees, there were a variety of interactive elements. True Religion showcases their latest festival denim collection, Cloud 23 offered delicious spicy cuisine offerings showcasing their hot sauce flavors and launch their new collaboration with 10/10 Burger, Live Tinted had a lavish touch up beauty bar experience to guests, and Reclip hosted a live podcast studio within the footprint, and Skrewball engaged guests with their Puppeteer peanut butter whiskey shot contest activation. David Dobrik’s new Doughbrik’s Wavers pizza snack chips also debuted at the bash with a first drop. Cocktails from Absolut vodka and Casa Azul tequila with La Croix also were highlighted.
MAXIM is a global brand known for its bold and aspirational content, celebrating beauty, entertainment, sports, and luxury lifestyle. MAXIM’s media and experiences engage millions around the world.
Produced by one of Los Angeles’ premiere experiential marketing agencies, the event was conceptualized by ENTER, and founding creative Zev Norotsky, who has curated a widely recognized annual weekend of programming tied to the festivals year after year, for the last decade. The annual “Welcome To Palm Springs” party which relocated to Bermuda Dunes from Palm Springs proper two years ago, acts as a festival reunion party, “Welcome To The Desert” welcoming key influencers, celebrities, music artists, athletes, nightlife notables, tastemakers, young creatives and entertainment industry elite.
