Elenor Roosevelt is quoted as saying “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people”. I’ll add to that by saying “All minds talk about the weather”, and we’ve had our share this winter.
This is certainly not the norm for the destination that boasts over 350 days of sunshine. The low snow levels, high winds and rain have made many an event planner shiver and recoil to an indoor safe haven this week.
We’re monitoring contingency plans for IBC Pool Parties, Modernism events like “Boots On Arenas” and more. Stay up to date by tuning in to KGAYPalmSprings.com or on air at 106.5 FM for updates. Soon, this cold snap will be a distant memory and “all minds” will be focused on the heat. Mother Nature, you just can’t win!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs,
For the latest, follow our socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065 and listen to KGAY Palm Springs wherever you may be!
#ILoveGayPalmSprings #ILoveGayCatCity #ILoveGayTravel #ILoveGay #SayKGAY (and win!)
International Bear Convergence (IBC) 2023
The International Bear Convergence, IBC 2023, is an amazing weekend full of “Fun, Frolic & Fur” at Hotel Zoso. IBC is the premier winter event for the Bear community, welcoming thousands of frisky bears, muscle bears, cubs, chasers, chubs, admirers & their fans to have the time of their lives. 2022 broke all previous attendance records and in 2023 they expect to do it again. With daily pool parties, speed dating, hot DJs, a Bear Heat late-night party with a live performance by CeCe Peniston, Hungry Bear Drag Brunch, and The Dirty Show with Skyler Gentry, the weekend is packed with things to do and we’ve got the run-down on our event page: More info
Boots on Arenas
Modernism Week presents Boots on Arenas, a street party celebration honoring Nancy Sinatra on Saturday, February 25 from 4:30–5:30 pm, ☔️ rain or shine! ☀️ Pull out your miniskirts and go-go boots and set your 60s bombshell hair, then walk on down to Arenas Road for a celebration with Nancy Sinatra and the Modernism Week double decker bus. Bella da Ball will cruise down Arenas Road for the ultimate dance celebration of These Boots are Made for Walkin‘, Modernism Week’s penultimate night street party! More info
The L-Fund Gala
Join the the L-Fund for their 10th Anniversary “Luck Be a Lady” L-Fund Gala on Saturday, February 25, from 5–9 pm at the Margaritaville Resort. This red-carpet event supports cis & trans Lesbians in the Coachella Valley. With dinner, dancing, and gambling (poker, blackjack, craps, roulette), plus a silent auction and raffle prizes for casino winners. Entertainment by Elaine Gibbs and band. 2023 honorees include: Jill Hingston, PhD, LMFT, Rhonda Ceccato, and Kim Kieler. Get tickets
Modernism Week Closing Weekend
Modernism Week’s annual 11-day festival wraps up this weekend, running through Sunday, February 26, with tours of iconic homes in more than 24 neighborhoods and the Palm Desert Signature Home Tour and the Palm Springs Signature Home Tour on both weekends. Also offered are architectural walking, biking and double-decker bus tours, tours of the historic Annenberg Estate at Sunnylands, a classic car show, a vintage trailer show, a golf tournament, garden tours, nightly parties, and a special series of compelling and informative talks. All events are open to the public, and many events are free or low cost. Get tickets
Modernism Weeks’ CAMP (Community and Meeting Place) is the central meeting place for all things Modernism Week and it’s FREE and open to the public inside the Hyatt Palm Springs. Discover new events and activities to attend, dine and sip at Cheeky’s To-Go, shop at the Destination PSP store, meet authors at book signings, explore design elements for your home, and relax and commune with fellow modernists. CAMP will be open daily 9am–5pm throughout the run of Modernism Week.
The 10th Anniversary Modernism Yard Sale takes place on the final day of Modernism Week: Sunday, February 26 from 8 am–Noon. Brought to you by Modern Bear, and hosted by H3K Home, this annual sale has become one of Modernism Week’s most popular FREE events. Carefully curated vendors offer their highly coveted mix of vintage midcentury decorative furnishings, fashion, and collectibles where you may score a deal or a total steal! This event wouldn’t be complete without the complimentary coffee and donuts provided by Chris Bale Homes and Will Paine Homes while supplies last. More info
Peaches & Heklina’s High School Reunion
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents Peaches and Heklina’s High School Reunion on Saturday, February 25 at 7 pm. Join Peaches Christ and Heklina as they celebrate dubious fashion choices, business women lunch specials, Post-its, and their High School Reunion. Wear your best Prom attire and enter the Prom King and Queen contest! The show also stars Mario Diaz, Clammy Faye/Nancy French, Mutha Chucka and more, while glamourous award-winning musical duo Deven Green & Handsome Ned play your favorite hits from the movie before the main event. After the pre-show, stick around for the free interactive screening of the iconic film, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Get tickets
Black History Month Parade and Town Fair
**Note: Originally scheduled for Saturday, this event has been moved to Sunday to avoid a rainy forecast** In celebration of Black History Month, The Palm Springs Black History Committee and the City of Palm Springs James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center will host the 36th Annual City of Palm Springs Black History Month Parade and Town Fair on Sunday, February 26 from 11 am–6 pm. This year’s 2023 Black History Month theme is “Black Resistance.” The Parade starts on Palm Canyon Drive in Downtown Palm Springs. Immediately following the Parade, the Town Fair is held at the New Downtown Park in Palm Springs across the street from the Palm Springs Art Museum. More info
Don’t Worry Darling – Palm Springs Retro Style
Modernism Week Palm Springs presents Don’t Worry Darling – Palm Springs Retro Style on Saturday, February 25 at 2 pm. Palm Springs sets the stylish scene of the Warner Brothers psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, starring Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Florence Pugh, and director Olivia Wilde. Join three-time Oscar-nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips and location manager Chris Baugh as they offer a behind-the-scenes look on the essential parts of Hollywood filmmaking, costume design, set décor and the art of selecting the right location. Moderated by film and design journalist, and author, Cathy Whitlock (Designs on Film: A Century of Hollywood Art Direction), the panel will detail their creative process on everything from creating retro eye-candy costumes to sleek midcentury modern interiors and exteriors. Get tickets
Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man
Bus Stop Productions presents Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man in the Tropics Lounge at the Margaritaville Resort on Fridays and Saturdays from February 24–March 18, with two shows per night at 7 pm & 9:30 pm. This show has been sharing its upbeat brand of humor with theater audiences all across America for over five years! The play is set at a local university auditorium where the English department holds its monthly meet the authors event. Robyn is the shy and studious moderator of the event and this month’s featured author is Dan Anderson of Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man. With the help of a hunky stage assistant named Stefan, Dan aims to turn this meet the authors event upside down with a highly theatrical, audience interactive sex tip seminar. Get tickets
Once
CVRep presents Once, playing now through Sunday, March 11. Once is a love story reminding us of how the language of music is universal. Winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Once tells the story of Guy, an Irish songwriter who spends his days fixing vacuums in the Dublin shop he runs with his father. While on the verge of giving it up altogether, along comes a girl who convinces Guy to believe in love, music, and the courage to carry on. Our theatre reviewer Stephen Radosh says Once is “a total joy from the moment you enter the theatre until it lovingly sends you on your way home.” Read his full review [here] and Get tickets
