The Dinah 2026 Announced as Festival Shifts to New Ownership After 35 Years

Ownership of The Dinah, the long-running music festival and party centered on queer women, is changing hands after 35 years under founder Mariah Hanson.

Hanson has sold the Palm Springs–based event to Bella Barkow, The Dinah’s longtime operations manager, and Rose Garcia, a veteran emcee of the festival and real estate entrepreneur. The pair will operate the event under their newly formed company, BellaRose Productions.

Organizers said the sale keeps the independently produced festival within LGBTQ+ leadership. The Dinah is widely regarded as one of the largest and longest-running events dedicated to queer women, drawing attendees from across the United States and internationally since its founding in the early 1990s.

Barkow joined The Dinah team in 2018 and advanced from pool party stage manager to operations manager. Her background includes producing LGBTQ+ nightlife and large-scale events in Los Angeles, including involvement with LA Pride and the Outloud Festival.

Garcia, a reality television personality and business owner, has served as an emcee for The Dinah and other LGBTQ+ events. She is known to some audiences as the real-life inspiration for the character “Papi” on The L Word and previously appeared on The Real L Word. Garcia leads the Garcia Real Estate Group and has been featured in national media outlets. She is also a Stage 3 ovarian cancer survivor who is now in remission.

The new owners said they plan to maintain the festival’s focus on queer women and LGBTQ+ community spaces while building on its legacy.

The 35th edition of The Dinah is scheduled for Sept. 30 through Oct. 4, 2026, returning to the Hilton Palm Springs and the Zoso hotel. Organizers said the entertainment lineup and additional programming details will be announced in June.

Founded in Palm Springs, The Dinah grew from a niche gathering into a nationally recognized LGBTQ+ cultural event over the past three decades, attracting performers, celebrities, and media attention from both mainstream and queer outlets. Hanson’s tenure established the festival as a prominent fixture in LGBTQ+ entertainment and community life.