Karnival of the Arts coming to DeAnza Springs April 30 through May 3
East County News Service
March 24, 2026 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- Performance art and music will collide and combine in concert in the high desert this spring as the Karnival of the Arts (KOTA) West returns to the DeAnza Springs Resort.
The festival, which has spent half a decade establishing a "West Coast home" in southeastern San Diego County, centers on a unique "triple-decked" stage production and will go from 4 p.m., April 30 through 4 p.m., May 3.
The design allows for simultaneous live painting, flow arts and musical performances, and this year features headliners Thundersmack (Leo P of Too Many Zooz and Michael Wilbur of Moon Hooch) and electronic multi-instrumentalist Vincent Antone.
"Our event highlights art like no other," says KOTA co-founder and producer Miguel Munoz. "Starting with triple decked stages for simultaneous live painting and dance/flow performances right along side regional favorite bands and international headliners."
KOTA originated as an East Coast initiative designed to support independent creators. By bringing the "Karnival" to Jacumba, Munoz aims to create a "living pipeline" of music and art that spans the country.
"Bringing the Karnival out West was not just about throwing a second event, it's about expanding a movement," Munoz explains. "KOTA East and West share the same spirit: artist-first, community-powered, and wildly authentic, but each one is uniquely shaped by the people who show up — the patrons, the performers, the crews."
Tickets are available here.
DeAnza Springs Resort at 1951 Carrizo Gorge Road itself provides a stark, scenic backdrop for the festival’s "living world" of art. Located in historic town of Jacumba Hot Springs, in the midst of a cultural and hospitality renaissance, the resort offers a 500-acre retreat featuring pools, hot tubs, and open desert vistas.
DeAnza Springs fosters an environment of radical self-expression that aligns with KOTA’s mission to be an "artist-first" space.
"KOTA has found our West Koast home at the beautiful DeAnza Springs Resort," says Munoz. "With pools, hot tubs, restaurants, and open desert skies, it’s not just a place to create and celebrate, it’s also a place to recharge."
This year’s programming includes dual poolside stages featuring simultaneous Art-Music-Flow fusions; stand-p komedy and variety shows; new art car collaborations and performances scheduled to run until sunrise; silent disco and themed lounges; and a wellness and commerce village of holistic healers, craft vendors and specialty workshops.
Expected performers include: Vincent Antone; Thundersmack (Leo P [Too Many Zooz] & Michael Wilbur [Moon Hooch]); Band of Gringos; Plexus Play; TV Broken 3rd Eye Open; Bass Cowboy; Cruz Roots; Helix Moon; NDRW; Pineapple Flow; Match.A.Mor; Synergy; Enomer; Datura; Martini; GZoom; Desert Ecko; and Marti Marti & The Motorcade
The festival’s core mission remains the "creative process as a living experience," prioritizing the act of making art over the finished product, Munoz said.