College of the Desert is a two-year, public educational institution, located at the corner of Monterey Avenue and Fred Waring Drive in Palm Desert, California. The college provides lower division academic, vocational, and basic skills education. As stated in the college website: "We are a successful college because we make decisions based on a systematic assessment of the needs of the community and the application of our core values.

"Students who attend COD may expect to transfer, complete degrees and certificates, prepare for the workforce, and acquire a general education that enables them to be well-rounded, productive citizens. To assure students' learning success, we assess student learning needs, establish academic and vocational courses and programs appropriate to those needs, determine the effectiveness of those courses and programs, and implement changes to improve student learning."

College of the Desert Street Fair is held at the northwest corner of the College Of The Desert campus, located at the interesection of Fred Waring Drive and Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert, California. The outdoor experience features well over 300 vendors offering arts and crafts, entertainment, a wide selection of unique gifts for all occasions, a farmer's market and refreshment booths. There is free admission, free parking, free entertainment and a complimentary golf cart shuttle to and from the parking area.

The Street Fair is held in parking areas on the College campus every Saturday and Sunday, 8AM to 2PM, year round. During the tourist season (October through May), the fair grows to a capacity capacity of appoximately 340 vendor spaces. During the summer season (June through September), it and has roughly 100 vendor spaces. Approximately 15,000 to 20,000 people visit the Street Fair each weekend during the tourist season.

As distinguished from an auxiliary, College of the Desert Alumni Association is an independent organization separate and apart from College of the Desert. College of the Desert appreciates the support provided to the College through the revenue generated by the Alumni Association Street Fair.

Funds raised by the COD Alumni Association memberships and the weekend Street Fair provide over $270,000 in student scholarships and financial aid per year and fund many other college programs and projects. The Alumni Association has donated $1 million to College of the Desert for the Alumni Association Academic Enrichment Fund. The Alumni Association has also established a second scholarship endowment fund and has raised over $6,000,000 for this purpose. The Street Fair patronage enables the Alumni Association to continually support College of the Desert.