Week of Aug. 23, 2021 | Gay Desert Guide Palm Springs – gaydesertguide.com
I stepped into a movie theatre for the first time this weekend for a little “Respect” with the queen of soul, accompanied by my good friend Jeff Norman. He works at the McCallum Theatre, where plans are being made for their return after 19 months dark. With COVID spikes and many still not getting vaccinated, reluctance is literally killing business. The Mary Pickford was relatively quiet for the Sunday matinee timeframe. But Jeff reports that McCallum ticket sales are brisk, even with the self-imposed vax mandate before the state put regulations into place for venues of 1,000 or more.
Our other theatre companies are opening – Desert Rose, Dezart, Desert Theatreworks and Palm Canyon Theatre (Happy 25th!) – and hoping that additional setbacks are not in the offing. Please support them and find all performances on our Events channel.
I had the opportunity to visit “Paradise” last week – it was the first time I had stepped foot into the remodeled Margaritaville Resort, formerly the Riviera. While detractors had their say on social media, the interior was nicely done! They recently hosted the NAGAAA gay softball national tournament and are hosting the Palm Springs Chamber mixer on Tuesday. So you can see for yourself!
Lots of other events round out the week as we speed toward September! See our rundown here and follow us on the socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Mark Your Calendar: Aging Positively Conference
Reunion Project, the annual Coachella Valley conference aimed at providing practical information and inspiration for those aging with HIV, will bring together community leaders to improve the lives of older adults living with HIV for a virtual conference on Saturday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The conference will feature an HIV research panel of top experts discussing HIV and aging issues in our community, and a presentation from Keynote Speaker Andy Bell of Erasure. Free conference, registration requested. More info
Registration Open Now for Le Dîner en Blanc
On Monday, August 23 the Palm Springs Premiere of Le Dîner en Blanc, the popular Parisian-style pop-up picnic characterized by its famous all-white dress code, opens registration for the internationally-acclaimed event, taking place Saturday evening, October 9. As per the usual protocols for the event, the exact location of the event is only revealed a few hours before the event, and only to registered guests. More info
Leanna & Miguel on Congas
If you enjoyed (or in case you missed) Leanna and the Jazz Collective this past weekend, fear not: Leanna and Miguel perform at V Wine Lounge every Monday from 5:00-8:00 p.m., featuring Jazz, Latin, Bossa Nova, & Mod music! V Wine Lounge is a throwback mid-century lounge offering boutique and small production wines, craft beers and throwback cocktails with a sense of whimsy and playfulness! More info
“Thank You” Card for Retiring Police Chief Reyes
After 27 years of dedicated service, Palm Springs Chief of Police Bryan Reyes has officially retired and residents and businesses have an opportunity to say goodbye and pay tribute to one of our City’s most beloved public officials, by signing a very special “Thank You” card. Beginning Monday, August 23 through Friday, September 3, a huge 6′ by 4′ “Thank You” card will be placed in front of The Palm Springs Chamber headquarters, and will be presented to Reyes at the City Council meeting on September 9. More info
Palm Springs Chamber Mixer at Margaritaville
Join the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce for their monthly mixer on Tuesday, August 24 from 5:00–6:30 p.m. at the Margaritaville Resort. Come and meet your neighbors and learn what is happening in Palm Springs! Free for members and only $15 for non-members. More info
Queer Virtual Tour of MoMA
Gay Desert Guide’s Fun & Games Dept. and TheMenEvent.com present What Makes an Artwork Queer? A Virtual Queer Tour of MoMA on Tuesday, August 24 from 4:00–5:15 p.m. on Zoom. Join George Benson on a tour of New York’s Museum of Modern Art to discover queer interpretations of some of MoMA’s best known artworks. Why is Frida Kahlo wearing a man’s suit? What do two clocks on a wall have anything to do with being queer? And why did Robert Rauschenberg stick a stuffed eagle into his painting? Join the tour for a closer look. Get tickets
Oscar’s Last Laugh Wednesday Feat. Zach Noe Towers
Comedy returns to Oscar’s Cafe & Bar for Last Laugh Wednesday on August 25 at 7:00 p.m. Hosted by Max Mitchell, the evening’s headliner is Zach Noe Towers, One of Time Out Magazine’s 2018 Comedians to Watch. He also hosts E!’s Dating: No Filter and was selected as one of the New Faces of Comedy at the prestigious Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. Also performing: Mary Kennedy, of Showtime’s Funny Women of A Certain Age, and Joe Dungan, veteran performer with four appearances in The World Series of Comedy. Get tickets
National Dog Day Fundraiser
Animal Samaritans present DOGust Dining Fundraiser at the Kimpton Rowan Hotel’s “Juniper Table” restaurant all day on Thursday, August 26 to commemorate National Dog Day. Dine at Juniper Table anytime from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. that day, and Kimpton Rowan will donate 10% of the proceeds to Animal Samaritans’ life-saving programs! More info
Women’s Equality Day 2021
In celebration of Women’s Equality Day on Thursday, August 26, which commemorates the 101st anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote, the U.S. Small Business Administration will host “Economic Equality for Women Entrepreneurs: A Conversation in Celebration of Women’s Equality Day 2021” online from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. This fireside chat will feature a conversation between Isabella Casillas Guzman, 27th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, Natalie Madeira Cofield. More info
Desert Hot Springs Virtual Job Fair
The City of Desert Hot Springs is partnering with the Riverside County Workforce Development Center to host a Virtual Job Fair on Thursday, August 26 from 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. The virtual job fair simulates the look and feel of a real job fair through an online platform and applicants can log in from a phone, tablet or computer to research companies, speak directly to recruiters and apply for open positions. More info
Jazzville Palm Springs: Nutty
Jazzville, the live jazz scene presented by Barry Martin/DJ Baz and Take Five Entertainment, presents Nutty on Thursday, August 26 at 7:00 p.m. at the vibrant Cascade Lounge inside Agua Caliente Casino in Palm Springs. Nutty is a unique blend of jazz and rock ‘n roll served up with a vintage Vegas vibe. This hard-swingin’ jazz octet weaves intricate interpretations of pop and rock classics onto a jazz canvas, using straight-ahead jazz, big band swing, crime/spy jazz, Latin, bebop and classic film and TV themes as the soundtrack. Cocktails, wine and delicious small bites will be available to order and enjoy while bopping to the tunes of the evening. More info
The Rocky Horror Show Opens Thursday
The Desert Rose Playhouse presents “The Rocky Horror Show,” opening Thursday, August 26 and running through Sunday, September 12. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter, unveiling his new creation, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man named Rocky, complete “with blond hair and a tan.” Get tickets
RuPaul Recaps by Dante: All-Stars Season 6
Our Special Drag Correspondent Dante Noto is faithfully watching and reporting on all the weekly victories and defeats in the world of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 6. Read all of Dante’s recaps back to the season premiere [here] and check out his recap of the latest episode, “Rudemption Lip Sync Smackdown,” which caused Dante to declare: “Hold on to your fascinators because tonight’s episode is one of the best in Drag Race herstory! The “game within a game” is…a fabulous twist, making for a night of all great lip syncs.” Read it!
Virtual Events at The Center
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday Summerific Sing-A-Long: GREASE
The Palm Springs Cultural Center and The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus present The All Summer Long Snazzy Sassy Songsational Summerific Sing-A-Long. This week, on Saturday, August 28, the evening’s movie musical is “Grease,” starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. At 6:00 p.m., come for social hour in the VIP Lounge upstairs, with film at 7:00 p.m. with Rosemary Galore and songleaders from the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus hosting an evening filled with film, fun, and song. Continues with a different film every Saturday through September 11. Get tickets
Desert Chorale Auditions
The California Desert Chorale will be back to live performances for its 29th season and will be holding auditions on Monday, August 30 at 7:00 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Auditions will be administered and conducted by the Chorale’s Artistic Director Tim Bruneau for serious, dedicated singers who feel motivated to be a member of this well established and growing ensemble. More info
Palm Springs Pride Call for Artists & Parade Entries
The Palm Springs Pride Festival, taking place Friday & Saturday, November 6 & 7, wants to encourage the work of self-representing artists by providing reduced cost display space at the festival. Showcase your work within the well-trafficked vendor marketplace and participate in the good vibes of Pride! To get started, fill out the interest form [here].
Palm Springs Pride is also currently taking applications for parade entries, for the return of the traditional parade down Palm Canyon Drive on Sunday, November 7 from 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. The deadline for Early Bird Registration is Wednesday, September 1. Visit the Palm Springs Pride site [here] and click on “Participate.”
Cat City Drag Race Accepting Applications
The date is set for the return of the Cat City Drag Race! The competition will take place October 4 through November 1 along the “111 Catwalk” at Trunks, AMP Sports Lounge, The Runway, The Barracks, and One Eleven Bar. Which of 10 queens Will Survive the Shadiness? Could be you! Applications are now being accepted, and the application period ends when they have received 20 entries, or on September 24, whichever comes first. Download an application on their website [here].