Drag Now, Drag Forever is the rallying cry for Palm Springs Pride which is just five weeks away! We’re wasting no time in “pre-celebrating” and recognizing our amazing drag community.
The Palm Springs Public Library is hosting Craig Mann’s art exhibit, “Slay: The Art of Drag” through November 18 and you can read about it below. Nicholas Snow interviewed Mann from his current exhibition at the Palm Springs Cultural Center over the weekend. You can see it here.
“It’s a misunderstood art form”, KGAY’s John Taylor opined as he played a quote from Heklina on his morning show. Our Palm Springs Pride poster celebrates drag in a unique way, courtesy of Trevor Wayne’s artful mind. (It’s available for purchase).
Drag Story Hour defiantly returns to the Palm Springs Public Library with Bella da Ball October 24th. And drag is always found on our Nightlife/Events channel where we have a daily listing for drag shows in the desert.
I can’t wait to see drag on full display at Palm Springs Pride: on the stages, in the parade and on the streets. Drag Now, Drag Forever indeed!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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The Center Social at Reforma
It’s time for The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert’s 4th Wednesday Monthly Center Social, on Wednesday, September 27 from 5:30–7 pm. This month the social will be at Reforma Palm Springs. Join in for an all-inclusive mixer of fun, community, and happy hour! More info
Meet the Black and Blue
Brothers of the Desert and the Palm Springs Police Department present Meet the Black and Blue on Tuesday, September 26 from 10:30 am–12 noon at Blackbook Bar and Kitchen. This will be an opportunity to meet our officers in “Blue” and have conversation, ask question and address concerns in a friendly manner. Brothers of the Desert are asking the “Black” community, friends, family and allies of Brothers of the Desert to come together and meet our PSPD. Limited seating, RSVP required. Complementary breakfast sponsored and hosted by Blackbook. More info
Slay: The Art of Drag at the Palm Springs Public Library
The Palm Springs Public Library is hosting Craig Mann’s art exhibit, “Slay: The Art of Drag” through November 18. “Drag has been in the news for brunches and bans. It’s also a misunderstood art form that has been in existence since William Shakespeare’s choice of men to play female roles,” said Mr. Mann. Exploring drag as art, Craig Mann celebrates local drag artists who bring joy and entertainment to their audiences. Twenty portraits of local queens are on display at the main Library during regular hours. More info
Jazz on the 2nd Floor with Leanna & The Jazz Collective
Discover a hidden LGBTQ friendly Palm Springs Speakeasy: Jazz on the 2nd Floor, with Leanna & The Jazz Collective, every Tuesday from 5–7:30pm, at the historic Camelot Theatre at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. The evening is hosted and produced by local celebrity entertainer couple Leanna & Miguel on congas, notable allies to the LGBTQIA community. Leanna books the best jazz musicians in rotation each week, top players in their craft, and even some masters that come as guests and get invited to sit in. Advance tickets recommended. Get tickets
Learn More About Guide Dogs of the Desert
The Palm Springs Public Library presents a lecture on Guide Dogs of the Desert (GDD) on Wednesday, September 27 at 6 pm in The Learning Center. Lisa Morand, volunteer coordinator, will discuss the amazing work done to breed, raise and train Guide Dogs to help the visually impaired regain confidence, independence, and mobility. Services are provided to the visually impaired at no cost and there are many opportunities for volunteering and volunteer puppy raising. Hear how you can help and become part of the GDD community and the amazing work that GDD does! More info
What the Heck is Sepsis?
Eisenhower Health and The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert present What the Heck is Sepsis? on Wednesday, September 27 from 4–5 pm via Zoom. September is Sepsis Awareness month. This discussion aims to provide general education on what exactly sepsis is (and isn’t), what risk factors may put you at risk for developing sepsis, what the symptoms of sepsis are, and what you can do help reduce your risk developing sepsis. The speaker is Denise Lewis, RN, Sepsis Program Coordinator at Eisenhower Health. Registration required. More info
Cruise Guys Presentation
Cruise Guys Palm Springs presents a Cruise Presentation on Tuesday, September 26 from 4:30–6 pm. Learn more about an April 6–13 French Waterways Cruise of the Wine Country & Castles in Provence. RSVP required for this Cruise Presentation with special guests Patrick Evans (TV & Radio Personalty), and Nancy Iovino of Scenic & Emerald Cruises. A portion of each cruise sold will benefit Animal Samaritans. More info
Cinema Diverse Weekend 2
The 16th edition of Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival has one more long weekend of screenings, September 28–October 1 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Tickets and passes are now on sale.
Just a couple of the highlights to look forward to this weekend include: Outrageous: The History of Australian TV (Thursday, September 28 at 2:45 pm): Every LGBT milestone happened on Australian TV in the 1970s, years before the rest of the world. And nobody ever saw it, because the nudity, adult stories and queer themes from these TV series could never have been tolerated on commercial TV anywhere outside of Australia. The Floating Man (Sunday, October 1 at 3 pm) is a nuanced exploration of how so many people find themselves caught between rigid gender lines of woman or man, unable to express their fuller selves (Read more). Get tickets/passes
House Husbands at Cinema Diverse
House Husbands is being shown as part of Cinema Diverse’s Short Set, “Funny Films” on Friday, September 29 at 12:30 pm. Sam Pancake stars as Sylvester, a middle-aged gay man whose wealthy, handsome husband has decided to trade him in for a younger man. House Husbands is a comedic look at incestuous, upper class social circles and how they can go from lush to toxic very quickly. It’s a modern satire centered around gay men in Palm Springs loosely based on Clare Luce’s The Women. Get tickets
Friday Fusion with DJ Galaxy
DJ Galaxy, of KGAY’s Retro Lunch and Retro Sunday Brunch, is spinning on Fridays from 4–8 pm with Friday Fusion at Impala Bar & Grill! This Friday T-Dance Happy Hour Social will feature beats by Galaxy, sexy GoGo boys and daddies, pop-up performances by drag kings and queens and other celebrities, with flagging by Desert Flaggers and hosted by Snatch. This weekly party from the producer who brought back Boyz Night Out celebrates equality, diversity, and inclusion. No cover; food and drink specials throughout. More info
Sunnylands Films in the Gardens: The Breakfast Club
Sunnylands brings back their Films in the Gardens series with a trio of back-to-school films from the 1980s. The series concludes this week with The Breakfast Club (1985) on Friday, September 29 at 7:30 pm. Synopsis: Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought. Free of charge, no reservations required, gates open at 6 pm, carpooling and small picnics encouraged. More info
Planned Parenthood’s 60th Anniversary
Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest presents the 60th Anniversary Riverside County Cocktail Reception on Friday, September 29 at 5:30 pm at the Avalon Hotel Palm Springs. Our local affiliate has grown from an information booth in Balboa Park, San Diego, to the most trusted name in sexual and reproductive health care, with 19–and soon to be 20–health centers across three counties, a strong education program, and the most committed advocates for rights and justice. Come for an engaging evening featuring an educational program, live music by The B Sections, and “Artists for Planned Parenthood” exhibition. More info
Best of Coachella Valley Final Round of Voting
The Coachella Valley Independent‘s annual Best of Coachella Valley reader’s poll has announced their nominees (nominated by readers) and voting is now open in the Final Round, which goes through Sunday, October 22. We would love a repeat of our wins last year! Under “Life in the Valley,” for Best Radio Station, please vote KGAY 106.5! Also under “Life in the Valley,” for Best Local Radio Personality please consider John Taylor of the KGAY 106.5 Morning Show, and DJ Galaxy of the KGAY 106.5 Retro Lunch. Galaxy is also nominated, along with KGAY Sunday T-Dance’s DJ Modgirl, for Best Local DJ under the “Arts” section! Vote Today
