Gay Desert Guide: Week of Dec 9, 2024

Greetings from Wurzburg, Germany as I write my early week blog. KGAY Morning Host John Taylor and I are guests of the crew of BearCruise.com for a week of Christmas Markets throughout Germany. You can follow us this week with daily broadcasts from the Transcend Cruises riverboat on KGAY.

I wasn’t sure how I’d weather the damp and cold of Winter, having been away from it for so long in sunny Palm Springs. So far, there’s been no snow and the biting winds I remember from my Midwest upbringing are at bay.

With the barrage of breaking news, you may have missed this tidbit: Judy Garland’s Ruby red slippers worn on the set of The Wizard of Oz just garnered $32.5 million at auction. I’m sure some of that had to do with all the hype – well deserved – for the Wicked movie that’s been helping box office numbers in a big way.

I haven’t seen my good friend Michael Holmes donning red slippers as part of his gay apparel in the send up of Garland in The Judy Show! at Purple Room Palm Springs. He’s currently in the holiday performances of Judy’s Old-Fashioned Christmas. Maybe I’ll find a pair of men’s large ruby red slippers at a Christmas market and gift them to Michael so he can wear them on stage when The Judy Show! returns in 2025.

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 reside! P.S. Our KMEE 103.1 MeTV FM has gone “all holiday music”! Tune in!
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Building Resilience in Coachella

Join The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert for Building Resilience on Monday, December 9, from 5:30–7 pm at the Coachella Library. This free 90-minute session is dedicated to enhancing our community’s strength in facing challenges together. Bringing together LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, the event will explore the concept of resilience at both personal and community levels through community-building circles and hands-on activities. The goal is to empower and inspire everyone to rise above adversity. Spanish translation is available upon request. More info

DBA Networking Mixer & Holiday Food Drive

Join the DBA Networking Mixer & Holiday Food Drive hosted by Blevins Associates Consulting on Monday, December 9, from 5:30–7 pm at The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert’s NEW Food Bank, located at 2901 E Alejo Road. Explore the new, much larger location, which allows The Center to expand its food distribution program and serve more community members in need. Participate in the Holiday Food Drive to support The Center’s Food Bank clients this holiday season, donating essential items like 1 lb. bags of pasta, canned pasta sauce, canned soup, 1 lb. bags of rice or beans, and dry dog or cat food. More info

Skippy ‘n’ Bitsy’s All-Star Christmas TV Extravaganza

THE BENT presents Skippy ‘n’ Bitsy’s All-Star Christmas TV Extravaganza from December 10–19 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Skippy and Bitsy are taping their 1969 TV Christmas Special in front of a live studio audience, which is you! One of the most popular and happily married showbiz couples of their era (except when Skippy’s roving eye spots another man), this duo pulls out all the stops to entertain you with song, dance, fabulous guest stars and the best banter the TV censors will allow. Starring long time FRUITCAKE FOLLIES alumni Terry Ray and Miss Jane Guy. Get tickets

The 39 Steps

CVRep presents The 39 Steps from December 11–22. Mix a Hitchcock movie masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python comedic flair and you have this fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This two-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 madcap characters (played by an absurdly talented cast of four), an onstage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance. Get tickets

Desert Winds Freedom Band – Christmas Music on the Plaza

On Wednesday, December 11 at 4 pm, the Desert Winds Freedom Band will perform Christmas Music on the Plaza outside Starbucks in Palm Springs. This is a great opportunity to enjoy some festive music and get into the holiday spirit! More info

8th Annual Official Latino Film and Arts Festival

This Monday–Wednesday, December 9–11, the 8th Annual Official Latino Film and Arts Festival will be presented at the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater. Over 100 films will be screened, the majority presented in English, alongside industry and filmmaker panels. The films will run in a series of themed two-hour blocks which will include short discussions with the filmmakers. Get tickets

This Week at The McCallum Theatre

The McCallum Theatre has a festive lineup this week: On Wednesday, December 11 at 7 pm, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro will perform his holiday show, “Holidays in Hawai’i.” This weekend, on Friday & Saturday, December 13 and 14 at 8 pm, the European Pop Orchestra will present “A European Holiday,” featuring a blend of pop and classical music. Finally, on Sunday, December 15 at 3 pm, pianist Jeffrey Siegel will share his “A Few of My Favorite Things,” a program of beloved classical pieces and entertaining commentary. Get tickets

Rat Pack Tribute

Commemorate the era of Frank, Sammy, Dean, and Marilyn with a Rat Pack Tribute at the The Show at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage on Thursday, December 12, at 8 pm. Travel back in time to the glamorous and dazzling nights of early 1960s Las Vegas when three of the world’s most beloved performers and the enchanting Marilyn Monroe were the talk of the town. Get tickets

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Sounds of the Holidays

Experience the magic of the holiday season at 8,516 feet with the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Sounds of the Holidays. The Mountain Station will echo with the beautiful melodies of high school choirs performing holiday favorites, continuing a cherished decades-long tradition. Visitors can enjoy these festive performances on Wednesday, December 11 – Cathedral City High School Choirs; Thursday, December 12 – Coachella Valley High School Concert Choir; and Sunday, December 15 – Encore High School for the Arts Madrigals. More info

Mixed Feelings: The Golden Rectangle and the Art of Analia Saban

The Palm Springs Art Museum presents the final installment in the current Mixed Feelings series on Thursday, December 12 at 5 pm, exploring the intersection of mathematics and art. “The Golden Rectangle & The Art of Analia Saban” will feature a lecture by College of the Desert Mathematics Professor Leif Jordan and a presentation by contemporary conceptual artist Analia Saban. Get tickets

Dinner & Movie – Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of Jose Sarria

On Thursday, December 12 at 5 pm, PS Air Bar is hosting a special event to celebrate the life and legacy of Jose Sarria. Guests are invited to step into a luxurious “private jet” experience as they watch the film Nelly Queen: The Life & Times of Jose Sarria. This documentary delves into the incredible story of Sarria, a pioneering figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The evening will also feature a delicious meal and classic movie snacks. Get tickets

Dick’s Holiday Toy Drive

Dicks Toy Drive 2024 Anita Treadmill copy

Anita Treadmill, a beloved local figure, is hosting a holiday toy drive on Friday, December 13, at Dick’s on Arenas in Palm Springs. The event will start at 5 pm and continue until Anita’s car is full of toys. Attendees are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys for boys and girls of all ages. Cash donations are also welcome. The toy drive will benefit the Palm Springs Police Department, ensuring that underprivileged children in the community receive gifts during the holiday season. More info

Magic of Lights

Magic of Lights, a unique and dazzling drive-through holiday lights experience, runs daily through December 29 (Sun–Thurs 5:30–9 pm / Fri–Sat 5:30–10 pm), bigger and brighter than ever with more than a mile of spectacular light displays at the Empire Polo Club. Don’t miss the larger-than-life sparkling Holiday Barbie™ display, the supersized Bigfoot® Monster Truck, and life-sized dinosaurs of Prehistoric Christmas, with favorite holiday scenes and characters of the season depicted with the latest LED technology and digital animations. Get tickets

Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical

Desert Theatreworks’ annual Christmas production is back, and this time it’s the uproarious Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical, running from December 6–29 at the Indio Performing Arts Center. Join the zany sisters of Nunsense as they spread holiday cheer, yuletide laughs, and a dash of festive mischief. Broadcasting live from the basement of Mount Saint Helen’s Convent, the sisters take to the airwaves for a cable access Christmas special like no other. Get tickets

Stephen Sondheim’s Company

Revolution Stage Company presents Stephen Sondheim’s Company from December 6–22. Come see the revolutionary musical that redefined Broadway. This sharp, sophisticated show explores the complexities of love, commitment, and friendship through the eyes of Bobby, a charming bachelor navigating modern relationships’ chaotic, often bewildering landscape. The show’s innovative structure weaves together a series of vignettes that are as funny as they are poignant. Get tickets

I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers

THE BENT brings to the stage John Logan’s electrifying play, I’ll Eat You Last from December 6–22 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Immerse yourself in the world of Sue Mengers, the formidable 1970s super-agent (portrayed here by Academy Award Nominee Cathy Moriarty). This one-woman show, famously portrayed by Bette Midler in its Broadway premiere, captures the essence of Mengers with her sharp wit, relentless name-dropping, and savvy showbiz advice. As described by The New York Times, Logan’s portrayal of Mengers is a tour de force, filled with disco-era flair and razor-sharp humor. Get tickets

Mary Poppins

Palm Canyon Theatre presents Mary Poppins, playing through December 22. This musical invites us to London, England in 1910 where the magical Mary Poppins flies in on the wind, bringing with her a combination of whimsy and disciplined common sense to the Banks children’s lives. Together, they go on many fantastical and memorable adventures. Mary Poppins teaches all ages that “anything can happen if you let it.” Get tickets