Before there was a gay bar on Arenas, a gay man named Ira Mosley started a pizza joint in Palm Desert. That was nearly 40 years ago, and in an instant his Papa Dan’s Pizza and Pasta went up in flames recently. (The fire started in an adjacent suite.)
I’ve known Ira and always appreciated his support of the LGBTQ+ community, and my Gay Desert Guide in the early days. So I wanted to bring you a quick update today and ask for your support for a GoFundMe for his employees. Some have been with him for 30+ years.
Ira has found a location in the same plaza and reports that the City of Palm Desert and state are helping with permits and inspections. So he looks to be open in the late Fall in time for season! Great news indeed. P.S. Hang on to your Hot Deals if you bought them from us – and be sure to watch this space for info on the reopening.
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Defying Gravity with PSGMC
The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus (PSGMC) presents Defying Gravity, their annual spring concert, this Friday & Saturday, April 26 & 27 at 7 pm and Sunday, April 28 at 2 pm at the Annenberg Theater. Come for a concert that celebrates the human spirit and inspires us all to break the bounds of gravity and soar beyond the limitations put on us. The program includes traditional choral selections, spirituals and Broadway hits; with music by Josh Groban, Coldplay and P!NK, with selections from Wicked, Pippin, the Greatest Showman and more. PSGMC will join guest star Kristine W for iconic #1 hits “I’ll Be Your Light” and “The Wonder of It All,” among others. Get tickets
The Lincoln Debate
The Bent Theatre Company presents The Lincoln Debate for an encore run to close out their season, Thursdays–Sundays, opening Friday, April 26 and running through May 12. This play launched The Bent, and Jason Reale, who won a Best Actor award for his portrayal of Lincoln, will be back in his stovepipe hat. Join the debate and decide for yourself whether or not Abraham Lincoln might have an initial under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella that fits him, exploring the first source facts with humor and historical accuracy surrounding Lincoln’s rocky courtship with Mary Todd juxtaposed with the four years that Lincoln shared a bed with Joshua Speed, a man that history records as Lincoln’s “best friend.” Get tickets
Glow in the Park at The Living Desert – Final Weekend
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens presents Glow in the Park on select nights through this Sunday, April 28. Step into a magical world of lights with more than a hundred Chinese lanterns hand crafted by artisans. Glow in the Park showcases the wonders of wildlife from across the globe and throughout time, featuring larger-than-life displays inspired by the beauty of nature, dozens of interactive installations, fantastic photo ops, and, of course, the fan-favorite “magic” smoke bubbles. Get tickets
Stagecoach Music Festival
On the heels of Coachella Fest comes “California’s Country Music Festival,” Stagecoach, on the same grounds in Indio this weekend, from Friday–Sunday, April 26–28. This year’s edition features Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, and Morgan Wallen as headliners, with acts like Post Malone, Willie Nelson, and Elle King also gracing the stages. If you’d like to tune in to this sold-out festival from the comfort of home, you can also watch the festival’s livestream on Prime Video and Twitch. More info
The Black Market Trust
The Purple Room Supper Club presents The Black Market Trust on Friday and Saturday, April 26 & 27 (dinner at 6 pm, show at 8 pm). The Black Market Trust are an American Traditional Pop/Vocal Jazz group from Los Angeles who combine the sounds of the legendary American crooners and vocal groups with the fire and energy of Gypsy Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. The live show features material from The Great American Songbook infused with Django’s romantic and virtuosic flavor. Get tickets
International Jazz Day
The Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival is celebrating International Jazz Day on Sunday, April 28 from 2–4 pm at Vicky’s of Santa Fe in Indian Wells. The celebration will honor Miriam Makeba with a special, amazing tribute by LA Artists Jimetta Rose and Gail Jhonson and Jazz in Pink. Makeba is one of the world’s most prominent Black African jazz performers in the 20th century, introducing the world to a unique blend of jazz-influenced balladry and rousing Afrobeats. Join the celebration and help raise funds for the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz & Blues Association, a non profit 501 (c)(3) organization. Get tickets
Dry Heat – Arrive Hotel Takeover
Dry Heat, a Queer/Underground Dance Music takeover, is at the Arrive Hotel on Sunday, April 28 from 12–5 pm. Come join this “cuuuute” pool party and mixer with Dry Heat DJs at Palm Canyon Swim & Social…feel free to bring your Dad. More info
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Revolution Stage Company presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, playing through this Sunday, April 28. An eclectic group of sixth-graders arrives at the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, each eager to win for very different reasons. In hilarious, touching, and catchy songs, each speller reveals his/her hopes, struggles, and passions as they make their way through the competition. With an engaging, tuneful score by William Finn and a sweet, funny book by Rachel Sheinkin, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee causes audiences to fall in love, both with the show itself and its “perspicacious,” “jocular,” and “effervescent” spellers. Get tickets
Nice Work If You Can Get it
CVRep presents George & Ira Gershwin’s Nice Work If You Can Get It, playing through this Sunday, April 28. Additional dates have already been added due to high demand, hitting the CVRep stage with Gershwin songs you’ll be humming the whole way home. This screwball comedy features romance, high-spirited production numbers, and a Tony Award winning script that pokes fun at class snobbery in the prohibition era. Our theatre reviewer Stephen Radosh says “As the central couple, Jennifer Knox and Hayden Stanes are charmers blessed with wonderful voices and bring a sense of romance to “S’ Wonderful”, their long dance number which recalls Fred & Ginger as they danced their way to romance.” Read his full review and Get tickets
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
Desert Theatreworks presents Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, playing through Sunday, April 28. The play opens in a sleepy Alabama town in the midst of the Great Depression, where Scout and her brother, Jem, live with their widowed father, Atticus Finch. The facade of the seemingly peaceful town begins to crack when a young black man is accused of a terrible crime. Driven by an unshakeable moral conviction, local lawyer Atticus defends the man in a trial that sends violent waves through the community. Timeless and lingering, this hard-hitting work explores prejudice, compassion and the courage to do what is right. Get tickets
MAD.KAT Gallery Presents: “Playful”
MAD.KAT Gallery presents “Playful,” a new exhibition featuring 16 international, national, and local artists who explore the whimsical, magical, and surreal side of sculpture, painting, mixed media, textile art, and much more, from April 27–June 15. Come for the Opening Reception and meet the artists on Saturday, April 27 from 5–9 pm. More info
Wheel of Fortune Live!™
Wheel of Fortune LIVE!™ brings America’s Game® to The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa Rancho Mirage on Saturday, April 27 at 8 pm. One of the greatest game shows of all time has been adapted into a stage show to give more fans access and more chances to win. Guests are randomly selected to go on stage and feel like they stepped into the game show itself. Get tickets
Revivals After Dark Back Alley Event
Come and shop for resale leather at the Revivals After Dark Back Alley Event on Friday, April 26 from 6–7:30 pm at Revivals Palm Springs.This semi-annual, adults-only event benefits both DAP Health and Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert (PSLOD). Resale merchandise includes leather, harnesses, art, books and videos, jockstraps, underwear, apparel, and toys. More info
ALSO THIS WEEKEND
Friday, April 26
Opening Reception for “The Future is Here” Multimedia Art Exhibit | 4–7 pm at CV Art Projects in the Perez Art District
Perez Art District 4th Fridays | 4–7 pm
Country Dance Fridays | 7 pm at Step by Step Dance Studio
Saturday, April 27
Pro on the Move (Parkinson’s Awareness Month)
3rd Annual Caturday Breakfast | 9–11 am at the Kimpton Rowan
Core Strength Workshop & Workout | 10 am–11:15 am at Power Yoga Palm Springs
Special Screwball “Sunday” Screening: The Palm Beach Story (1942) | 6 pm at Palm Springs Cultural Center
Sunday, April 28
Card & Board Game Group | 1–4 pm
Screwball Sundays: Design for Living (1933) | 3 pm at Palm Springs Cultural Center
LOOKING AHEAD
The 2024 DBA Impact Awards
The Desert Business Association will present their 2024 Impact Awards on Monday, April 29 from 5–9 pm at the Fuego Event Space. The Impact Awards will recognize our LGBTQ+ business and community leaders and organizations, including:
— Business of the Year: Boozehounds
— Business Person of the Year: Cliff Young, Coachella Valley Coffee
— Outstanding Community Service Organization: Transgender Health and Wellness Center
— Outstanding Community Service Leader: Kimberly June Skeete
— Legacy Award: PFLAG Palm Springs/Desert Communities
The event will also recognize a number of recipients of the LGBTQ Youth Educational Scholarships. More info
Precision Wellness BTL Bus Event
Precision Wellness of Rancho Mirage welcomes The Great North American Form, Fit & Function Tour on Tuesday, April 30 from 4–6 pm. KGAY will be on-site, giving away incredible prizes—facials, weight loss packages, Botox, IV therapies, and a grand prize EmFace treatment worth $6000! There will also be a complimentary yoga class and exclusive deals on state-of-the-art body and face sculpting treatments with no downtime. The BTL Bus has all the demos. An all encompassing wellness center, Precision Wellness uses state-of-the-art non-invasive aesthetic treatments. More info
