Holiday parties invite the inevitable small talk. How do you know the hosts? Where are you from? And some titillating leading questions — if you’re flirting.:)
And then there’s the “What do you do for work”? When people ask, I get to say I own KGAY 106.5, Gay Desert Guide and MeTV FM 103.1. That always sparks conversation, as it did over the weekend when I was in LA to attend a holiday party. I had missed this party for nearly a decade having moved to the desert 11 years ago.
Not only was I able to catch up with old friends (long term and aging), but also to meet people who visit our beautiful destination and are touched and informed by what we do on KGAY & Gay Desert Guide. One couple gushed about how they love to listen when they visit. My team and I love our work entertaining and informing. We are grateful to live in an LGBTQ+ friendly place and share it with you on the air, on social media and on these pages.
From the entire team, Happy Holidays and thank you for recognizing our good work!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
For the latest, follow our socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065 and listen to KGAY Palm Springs wherever you may be!
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Check out ALL the best Holiday Happy Hour and Bar events on the Gay Desert Guide Nightlife Channel. It’s also high time you made your New Year’s Eve plans, and we’ve got a great roundup of NYE Parties with links to all the info you need [here].
Jingle Mingle: PALS Holiday Social
Planning Ahead for LGBTQ+ Seniors (PALS) presents their Holiday Social, Jingle Mingle, on Wednesday, December 20 from 4–6 pm at Living Out. Join PALS for holiday joy, conversation, and fellowship! Registration required. More info.
John Taylor at WildLights
Light up your holiday with WildLights at The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, recognized in the Top 10 Best Zoo Lights by USA Today, nightly through December 30 from 6–9 pm (except Christmas Day). This Tuesday, December 19 from 5–7 pm: KGAY’s John Taylor will be broadcasting live, with KGAY’s DJ Modgirl spinning tunes! [More info]. This magical winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights, dazzling light displays, and holiday fun is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit and make lasting memories with friends and family. Experience several new and reimagined light exhibits, such as the new 30-foot-tall holiday tree and lighted animal-themed displays; plus many of your festive favorites are returning, such as the Tunnel of Lights, s’mores station, holiday carousel, photos with Santa, and much more! In true WildLights tradition, the G-scale model trains, with more than 3,300 feet of track, will be decked out for the holidays. Get tickets
Canadian Brass: Christmas Time Is Here
The McCallum Theatre presents Canadian Brass: Christmas Time is Here on Tuesday, December 19 at 7 pm. With impeccable musicianship, theatrical flair, and heartwarming humor, Canadian Brass is a favorite of audiences across the globe. Their repertoire is fantastically diverse, with a library of over 600 original arrangements that range from Baroque to Dixieland. This chart-topping, globe-trotting ensemble has been thrilling audiences for 4 decades. Get tickets
Book & Movie Salon for Women: Happiest Season
Lesbians of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley and beyond present a monthly B.A.M. Salon (Book and Movie Salon) for women, hosted by Flynn Sylvest and Irma O’Dell on Tuesday, December 19 from 7–8:30 pm on Zoom. B.A.M. Salon looks to develop and deepen LGBTQ+ community and connection through stimulating and informative conversations about books and movies that highlight women authors and women’s stories and experiences. This month, the featured film is the holiday romantic comedy Happiest Season (2020), directed by Clea DuVall, starring Kristen Stewart as Abby, a woman with a plan to propose to her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) while at her family’s annual holiday party. Abby discovers Harper has not yet come out to her conservative parents Tipper (Mary Steenburgen) and Ted (Victor Garber). The trouble grows when everyone wonders who Abby really is in Harper’s life. More info
Berger Foundation Iceplex Turns 1
In celebration of their One Year Anniversary, The Berger Foundation Iceplex is hosting a special public skate event on Tuesday, December 19 from 6:45–8:45 pm, featuring free skate rentals and swag for all, plus the chance to enter to win a $50 Iceplex gift card. The event is open to all ages and experience levels. The Berger Foundation Iceplex is a year-round ice skating and hockey facility. It features a 250-seat NHL ice rink, four locker rooms, two party rooms, and a mezzanine. The Iceplex is home to the Coachella Valley Firebirds and hosts a variety of special events. More info
Ronald McDonald House Toy Drive & Fundraiser
The Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House is hosting a Happy Hour Toy Drive and Fundraiser at Willie’s Modern Fare in Rancho Mirage on Wednesday, December 20 from 5–7 pm. Although the IERMH is based in Loma Linda, they serve more than 200 Coachella Valley residents a year as they navigate the challenges of having a child hospitalized at Loma Linda University Children’s Health.
Palm Springs Comedy Night
The Palm Springs Comedy Night will take place on Wednesday, December 20 at 8 pm at Impala Bar & Grill. This live comedy stand-up show features professional comedians from Los Angeles and Palm Springs. Headliner Daniel Webb is an LA-based comedian, writer, & musician from Texas whose comedy has been featured on Comedy Central, NBC, & BUTT Magazine. Wanda Sykes summed Daniel up in three simple words, “Riotous. Queer. Star.” Hosted by Max Vega, featuring Julie Sheppard, Kris Bossi, Cody Heredia, Alex Avila, Brandon Taylor, Pierce Amaro, and Max Mitchell. Get tickets
Holiday Oddities 2
Need a Holiday boost? Running out of cheer? Family in town (or they got you down?) Come to the Palm Springs Cultural Center and try: Holiday Oddities 2 on Wednesday, December 20 at 7 pm. Join local film archivists Melissa Dollman and Devin Orgeron of Palm Springs’ own Deserted Films for an evening of midcentury holiday-themed film artifacts from decades past, including home movies, shorts, advertisements, and other ephemera. Some vintage Palm Springs and high desert footage too. Enjoy an engaging holiday tour of other peoples’ stuff. Get tickets
Out and Faithful: LGBTQ People & Faith Communities
The Mizell Center’s 3rd Wednesday Speaker Series presents Out and Faithful: LGBTQ People & Faith Communities on Wednesday, December 20 at 5:30 pm. For many LGBTQ people, their religious beliefs were solidified before their identity as LGBT. As adults, many LGBTQ people have had a difficult and tenuous relationship with religion and religious institutions. With such a tumultuous history, how do local churches, synagogues and mosques embrace the LGBT Community? This evening’s conversation is a place where curiosity abounds and connections are made. Introductory remarks by Amy Lavine, PhD. More info
Hope Diamond and Friends – A Bluesy Holiday
Hope Diamond and Friends present A Bluesy Holiday on Wednesday, December 20 from 7–8:30 pm at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs. Diamond is a renowned blues artist known for her soulful voice and electrifying performances. In this special Christmas event, she is joined by a talented ensemble of friends and musicians, promising a unique and unforgettable holiday experience. Get ready to groove to classic blues tunes infused with a festive spirit! Get tickets
Susan Sontag and The Salton Sea
The Palm Springs Art Museum presents Mixed Feelings: Susan Sontag and The Salton Sea on Thursday, December 21 from 6–8 pm in the main museum with speakers Robert Atkins & Sahara Huazano. “Mixed Feelings” is a back-to-back lecture experience on unrelated topics (that are somehow connected). Two speakers talk about their respective areas of expertise and you get to make the connections during the Q&A. Get tickets
The Exorcist 50th Anniversary Screening
The Palm Springs Cultural Center and Moving Pictures Symposium Archive present a special 50th Anniversary commemorative screening of a rare, preserved original 35mm film print of William Friedkin’s original theatrical version of The Exorcist, on Friday, December 22 at 7 pm. Released on December 26th, 1973, The Exorcist has inspired some of the most extreme audience reactions in the history of film. In honor of its 50th anniversary, witness The Exorcist in its original glory in one of the greatest historic theaters in California. Get tickets
Nathaniel: The Recorded Story of a Legend
The Inner Circle Arts Society presents Nathaniel: The Recorded Story of a Legend, a bio/vaudeville musical production by Joachim Moore, about Nat King Cole and Jimmy Durante. The show will take place at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Friday and Saturday, December 22 & 23 and 29 & 30 at 7 pm. Get tickets
Magic of Lights – Coachella Valley 2023
Experience Magic of Lights – Coachella Valley 2023 now through December 31, every night starting at 5:30 pm at the Empire Polo Club. Magic of Lights is a dazzling, drive-through holiday lights experience featuring favorite holiday scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations. Experience Magic of Lights from the comfort and safety of your own car as you wind through the sparkling path of Coachella Valley’s new holiday tradition. One carload, one price. Get tickets
Christmas with the Crawfords
Desert Theatreworks presents Christmas with the Crawfords at Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs now through December 30. This riotous camp classic is based on the actual Christmas Eve live radio broadcast from the Crawford family’s Brentwood mansion in 1949. Filled with exaggerated silver screen icons, this mash-up musical parody is a loving homage to Hollywood’s “Golden Age” and features appearances of Tinsel Town divas such as Judy Garland, Carmen Miranda, Gloria Swanson, Hedda Hopper and the Andrews Sisters. Christmas With The Crawfords is a delightful alternative to the usual saccharine fare offered during the holidays and is guaranteed to make anyone who sees it feel much better about their own family this time of year. Get tickets
A Christmas Story
Desert Theatreworks presents A Christmas Story, playing now through December 21. Based on the classic 1983 holiday movie, A Christmas Story follows nine-year-old Ralphie Parker, a daydreamer from Indiana who spends his days counting down to the most exciting day in any kid’s life: Christmas. All he wants is an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle, but as his parents and teachers warn him, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” A Christmas Story charts Ralphie’s desperate quest to ensure that his perfect gift ends up under the tree on Christmas morning. The perfect funny holiday treat for all. Get tickets
