UPDATE: After the release of this article, The Dinah team reached out to clarify that while this will be the final event produced by founder Mariah Hanson, she is currently in talks with potential successors to carry on the legacy, magic, and spirit of The Dinah.
For 34 years, it has been more than just a party. It has been a heartbeat, a sanctuary, a vibrant, pulsating affirmation of lesbian life. The Dinah, the world’s largest and longest-running music festival for queer women, nonbinary folks, and allies, is preparing for its final bow in September 2025. This isn’t merely the end of an event; it’s a monumental, culture-shifting moment, a bittersweet farewell to an era that has profoundly shaped LGBTQ+ history and ignited generations of queer joy.
From its humble beginnings in 1991, Dinah Shore Weekend, under the visionary leadership of founder Mariah Hanson, blossomed from a grassroots gathering into a global phenomenon as the world’s largest lesbian event.
Dinah’s founder Mariah Hanson has a knack for booking some of the biggest mainstream acts.
Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Iggy Azalea, Kesha and Meghan Trainor have all done concerts at Dinah just as they were getting big.
But that hasn’t always been the case.
In 2006, Hanson decided to lift the bar for queer women’s events. She envisioned Dinah as more than a lesbian pool party in the desert. She wanted to build something that was both respected in the queer community and the mainstream world.
After years of unreturned calls from mainstream music labels, she changed everything when the Pussycat Dolls agreed to perform at Dinah. It was a financially brave move for a business woman, who had, by all accounts, a wildly successful annual event with a cult following. Why did she try to fix something that wasn’t broken? She believed our community was just as deserving of high-quality production and entertainment as gay men or straight folks.
Mariah believed our community was just as deserving of high-quality production and entertainment as gay men or straight folks. Unfortunately, business development for anything aimed at queer women is extremely difficult.
Queer women owned businesses are less likely to obtain business loans, investors, and advertisers still refuse to believe that we’re a profitable demographic. This is because lesbian sexuality is packaged and eroticized for straight consumption, while the mainstream still does not understand our culture.
“It’s the end of an era. Dinah is the most world-wide known lesbian/queer and women’s-focused festival. It has attracted probably over a million guests over the decades and featured top talent year after year. It’s an experience I’m proud to have been a part of for a number of years as an up-and-coming DJ. Playing on the main stage is a milestone for any lesbian career DJ.” – DJ Whitney Day
As a lesbian business owner and frequent Dinah attendee, it breaks my heart to lose another space for our community. Dinah Shore is one of the few places in the world where queer women can experience what it’s like to be the majority in an environment created for us and by us. For so many, The Dinah wasn’t just a destination; it was a pilgrimage, a homecoming, a space to shed societal expectations and simply be.
Dinah is a world where queer women and nonbinary people, so often marginalized or unseen, could gather en masse, thousands strong, radiating confidence and connection.
“If The Dinah has ever touched your heart, brought you joy, or helped you feel seen — I invite you to join me one last time as I close out my Dinah career and celebrate 34 years of unforgettable memories, community, and cultural impact,” says Hanson. “While my Dinah chapter is ending, the future is full of possibility in new hands. My hope is that this beloved torch is carried forward — so The Dinah can thrive for another 34 years and beyond.”
This decision, born from a place of deep respect and a desire to conclude on a high note, marks the close of a truly unprecedented run for an independent live event rooted in queer culture.
But the impact of The Dinah stretches far beyond the dazzling performances and sun-soaked pool parties. It has been a beacon of visibility when visibility was scarce, a catalyst for community when connection was vital, and a testament to the power of chosen family.
For countless individuals, The Dinah was a life-changing experience, a place where they felt truly seen, celebrated, and empowered – perhaps for the very first time. It was a space where identities blossomed, friendships were forged, and love stories began, all under the vibrant canopy of shared experience.
Monet Bernard, a lesbian DJ with a cult following, shared her profound connection to the event, stating, “Dinah has always been a safe haven for queer women. In the years that I’ve DJed the festival, it’s been remarkable to share in the joy and freedom created by having a space meant to uplift, and empower, and celebrate our community. Sapphic spaces are still needed and I hope that promoters/producers can carry on the legacy that The Dinah has created.”
The anticipation for the 2025 grand finale, set for September 24–28 at the Riviera Resort in Palm Springs, is palpable. This isn’t just a party; it’s a poignant “love letter to the community,” as Hanson calls it. It’s a final, powerful homecoming, a chance to revel in the spirit of unity that has defined this extraordinary event. The return of Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey from The L Word – the very show that catapulted The Dinah onto screens worldwide – is a full-circle moment, a powerful nod to the intertwining of pop culture and queer legacy that The Dinah helped shape.
This last edition isn’t just an event; it’s the culmination of 34 spectacular years of joy, liberation, and love. It’s a chance for those who have cherished The Dinah to relive the magic, and for those who have yet to experience it, to be part of herstory.
The Dinah was never just a party; it was a movement. It was a unique sanctuary where generations of queer people came to connect, to be seen, and to feel free and empowered in a safe space.
As the sun sets on Mariah Hanson’s incredible chapter, the legacy of The Dinah will undoubtedly live on in every life it has touched, a testament to the enduring power of unapologetic joy and radical visibility. This final celebration promises to be nothing short of legendary, a resounding crescendo for an event that has truly changed the world.
