The back page of the October 2026 Shore Talk has a short schedule that sets the next four months in Desert Shores. For October and November, the park and boats are open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the boats close an hour before the park. For December and January, the schedule lists "Closed for the season" for both the park and boats and the pool.
That means the time on the water has an end date. Counting from Thursday, October 22, there are six weekends left before the closure: October 24–25, October 31–November 1, November 7–8, November 14–15, November 21–22, and November 28–29. The boats go in at 3 p.m. on each of those days. Meanwhile, the Desert Shores Community Association has filled the same stretch with events at the clubhouse at 2500 Regatta Drive, in its parking lot, and on the residential streets. The water and the land overlap for six weekends, and then only the land side remains.
Six weekends of boats, then two months without
The lagoon pool already closed after September. The October issue of Shore Talk lists it as closed for the season through the fall, winter, and early spring. Here is how the year plays out on the posted schedule:
| Months | Park and boats | Lagoon pool |
|---|---|---|
| October and November | Sat and Sun, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; boats close 1 hour early | Closed |
| December and January | Closed | Closed |
| February through April | Sat and Sun, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; boats close 1 hour early | Closed |
| May | Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; boats close 1 hour early | Fri, Sat and Sun, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
The weekend after Thanksgiving, November 28–29, is the last chance this year to take a boat out on Lake Jacqueline. The schedule doesn't give a reopening date. If the February weekend hours start with the first weekend of the month, the next open weekend would be February 6–7, 2027. If you have guests coming for the holidays and want to put them on the water, the boats have to happen in November.
The calendar picks up where the lagoon leaves off
As the water hours shrink, the association's events move off the lagoon. In September, both big events were held at the water. The Patriot Day Boat Parade on September 20 drew 150 people. The 23rd annual Desert Shores Night Out on September 29 drew more than 300 neighbors, and sponsors gave out more than $1,000 in prizes and gift cards. The Night Out was held at the DSCA Lagoon Beach and was promoted as "a final splash in the lagoon pool." The Kids Fishing Derby followed on October 3 at South Lake Lindsey, on the corner of Breakwater Drive and Mariner, with the Nevada Department of Wildlife.
Everything on the calendar after the derby is on dry land:
- Trunk or Treat, Friday, October 30. It's held in the DSCA parking lot and starts at 5 p.m., according to the October issue. The association describes "several decorated trunks" and asks families to bring costumes and candy buckets. Earlier issues listed the time as 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., so check before you head over.
- Fall Community Yard Sale, November 7–8. The May issue lists 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days, "Throughout Desert Shores." If you sign up, you get one free yard sale sign to pick up November 2–6, and the association uses the sign-ups to build a map. You don't have to register to take part.
- Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast, Wednesday, November 11. The October issue lists 8 to 10 a.m. for Desert Shores veterans and their immediate families. It asks for an RSVP to estimate the head count but says to come even without one. The May issue put it at the DSCA Clubhouse.
- Knitting Club Craft Fair, Saturday, November 14. It's at the DSCA Clubhouse, according to the May and July issues. The October issue is still looking for crafters to sign up as vendors.
The yard sale and the craft fair fall on two of the six remaining boat weekends. On November 7 and 14, you can do both if you're on the water by 3 p.m.
A tradition that happens on front lawns
The Veterans Day plans go beyond the breakfast. For several years, Desert Shores has put an American flag and a "Thank You" sign in front of the homes of veterans who live in the community, and it plans to do it again for November 11. To include someone in your household or a neighbor who has served, whether active duty or retired, ask them first, then send their name, photos, dates of service, and property address to the DSCA office at [email protected]. The office is also asking for volunteers to help at the pancake breakfast, at the same address.
This happens in the same place as the yard sale the weekend before, out on the streets of Desert Shores. Through November, the community's events are spread across the neighborhood instead of gathered at the lagoon.
What the streets and shoreline look like this winter
Some changes you'll notice on walks. Gigapower is installing fiber, and the October issue says the work is expected to continue "throughout the rest of the year and potentially through January 2027." The painted utility markings on sidewalks and streets have to stay in place during that time. In August, the association described the fiber as a no-cost infrastructure upgrade. Residents can buy service once it's installed, and the work may temporarily affect sprinklers, landscaping, and existing internet lines.
At its August 26 meeting, the board approved new plantings at Lake Sarah, leveling and sealing of the lagoon pavers, a wall repair and handrail installation on Regatta, and removal of dead trees. A decision on the landscape master plan and landscape contract was postponed.
Homeowners have their own seasonal change, too. General Manager Simone Mrdjen wrote in October that as plants go dormant, compliance work will shift to home and wall maintenance. Homes are responsible for their exterior street-facing walls. Perimeter walls, the back walls that border community-owned landscaping, belong to the association and are maintained by it. Community Relations Coordinator Christian Rivera can answer questions and provide the required paint code. If you receive a notice about a wall, the association's governing documents and its office are the authority. This post is general information, not legal advice.
December at the clubhouse
When the boats stop, the clubhouse at 2500 Regatta Drive is where the community's business happens. The October issue lists a board meeting on October 28 at 6 p.m., a tentative board meeting on November 16, the annual meeting and election on November 18 at 6 p.m., and budget ratification on December 2 at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in person at the clubhouse and on Zoom. The September issue gave the election time as 5:30 p.m., so confirm the time with the office. Three of the five board seats are open this year. If the number of qualified candidates doesn't exceed the number of open seats, Meet the DSCA Board Candidates Night won't be held and there will be no election.
The lakes also had a slower event of their own this year. In the September issue, the association reported that after about 90 days, a nest of turtle eggs it had been following all summer hatched on the rainy morning of Thursday, August 13. Earlier in the summer, it asked residents to watch the nesting areas from a distance.
For updated times, the DSCA event calendar and the office at (702) 254-1020 have the latest information. Amenities Coordinator Toni Maes at the management office front desk can help with park and boat questions.
If you're planning around these weekends this fall, whether it's hosting family before the boats close or setting up a table for the November 7 yard sale, I'm glad to help with Desert Shores questions in English or Spanish. Cintia Ayala is just a message away. Let's Connect.
