Bad Bunny will take the halftime stage at this year’s Super Bowl from San Francisco. I’m on my way to the city by the bay as you receive this email and read my Friday blog. But I don’t have press seats or a sugar baby to get me into the Big Game. (That’s how businesses have to refer to it in order not to get sued by the NFL!)
Instead, I’m visiting the Castro Theater and District for the first time since COVID for the reopening of the storied venue. My good friend and PR maven David Perry was telling me about the final plans for media tours and kick off event as we had Koffi last week.
I thought, “Why not go up for the Castro Theater’s re-christening” and David made it so. It’s a screening of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I’ll report Monday on KGAY during my regular appearance on the John Taylor morning show and let you, dear readers, know how it went.
Given that it’s Super Bowl weekend, hotel rooms were hard to come by and expensive. But knowing the venue’s history (which I wrote about a few weeks ago), it was an opportunity I couldn’t resist. After all, I’d been at The Plaza Theatre’s press opening and tours prior to opening. I didn’t shell out the money for Cynthia Erivo, (nor did I complain about ticket prices for that show since it raised money for the foundation.) My first show was PSGMC’s Christmas show.
Back to Bad Bunny where we started. He’ll own the halftime stage, while Green Day fires up the crowd earlier during the Super Bowl opening ceremony — two acts who reliably get under Donald Trump’s skin. He’s behind TurningPointUSA’s All-American halftime show, competing for viewers. But their offering is Kid Rock, whose questionable lyrics about underage girls might make Jeffrey Epstein blush.
I’ll be safely back in my Palm Springs bubble before kickoff on Sunday, having made my pilgrimage to the street where Harvey Milk’s photo store set the stage for his activism and ultimate sacrifice for LGBTQ+ rights.
Brad Fuhr, your K-Gay Desert Guide
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Big Game Viewing Parties
Agua Caliente Casinos is gearing up for an action‑packed Big Game celebration on Sunday, February 8, with viewing parties happening across all three properties. Fans can catch every play at the award‑winning 360 Sports locations in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage, or experience the excitement on the massive screens inside The Show. Guests can enjoy food and drink specials, exclusive access options, premium seating, lively atmospheres and plenty of game‑day energy. More info
Streetbar hosts its annual Super Bowl Tailgate Party on Sunday, February 8, with kickoff at 3:30 pm and food served around 3 pm, creating a lively afternoon for football fans and friends alike. Guests can settle in for the big game with classic tailgate bites and a festive atmosphere in one of the bar’s long‑running community traditions [More info]. Hunters Nightclub hosts a Super Bowl Watch Party of their own with food, drinks and the big game on the big screen [More info], as does one eleven bar in Cathedral City [More info].
Reduce, Reuse, Redress
Reduce, Reuse, Redress invites the community to refresh their closets with purpose on Saturday, February 7 from 2–7 pm at participating businesses in the Arenas District. Guests are encouraged to donate their previously worn but still fabulous Red Dress Dress Red outfits, all of which will help stock a special pop‑up resale event on February 21. Every donation earns an entry into prize drawings for pairs of general admission RDDR tickets or tickets to the Sunday pool party [More info]. And set your reminders: Tickets for Red Dress Dress Red 2026 go on sale Wednesday, February 11 at 9 am…they famously sell out fast! Get tickets
BAM!Tastic with Alexis Mateo
RuPaul’s Drag Race favorite Alexis Mateo brings her high‑energy BAM!Tastic showcase to The Social Cafe and Play Lounge on Saturday, February 7 from 6–8 pm. Expect live vocals, fierce fashion and the full force of Alexis’ signature charisma in a night built for fans who love big personality and bigger performances. With a special half‑price offer available using promo code ALEXIS 50, this is a prime chance to experience her fabulousness up close. Get tickets
Tour de Palm Springs
The 28th Annual Tour de Palm Springs returns to downtown on Saturday, February 7, celebrating its theme of honoring military, first responders, and veterans with one of the most spirited charity rides in the country. Participants can choose from a wide range of walking and cycling routes as the event winds through the Coachella Valley, welcoming riders of all levels, including those on e‑bikes. Known for drawing thousands of cyclists and supporting more than 150 local nonprofits since its inception, the Tour offers a community‑driven atmosphere from start to finish, complete with medals for all who take part. More info
Gay Softball New Player Clinic
The PS Gay Softball League welcomes new players on Saturday & Sunday, February 7 & 8 at 9 am at Demuth Park for a friendly, low‑pressure clinic designed to introduce newcomers to the league. This is not a tryout but an opportunity for players of all experience levels—from beginners to those returning to the game—to have their skills assessed so they can be matched with the right team. Participants are encouraged to bring a glove, good shoes, water, and a positive attitude. More info
Varla Jean Merman is The Drowsy Chappell Roan
Varla Jean Merman storms into Palm Springs Cultural Center with a deliriously fun new spectacle, serving up her own drowsy, deliciously off‑kilter take on Chappell Roan and today’s reigning pop powerhouses. The evening performances for Thursday–Saturday, February 5–7 at 7:30 pm are now sold out, but a newly added Saturday matinee on February 7 at 3 pm is scheduled by popular demand. She rewires hits from Chappell Roan, Dua Lipa, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Doechii and Miley Cyrus, all while unraveling her accidental identity crisis with trademark wit, glamour and theatrical chaos. With Todd Alsup joining the ride, this is Varla at her most playful and pop‑obsessed. Get tickets
Soul Springs Festival
The Soul Springs Festival returns to the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater on Saturday, February 7 from 1–6 pm, bringing an afternoon of soul, R&B, and community connection back to the Coachella Valley. Following a sold‑out debut, this second annual celebration invites guests to settle in with picnic baskets and blankets for a relaxed outdoor experience filled with live performances, wine tastings, local vendors, and the joyful spirit of a true musical reunion. More info
Sweet Jazz Opening Reception
Rubine Red Gallery hosts the Sweet Jazz Opening Reception on Saturday, February 7 from 5–8 pm, celebrating the legacy of Malcolm Myers and his lifelong devotion to America’s great musical art form. Inspired by his early years in New York’s historic jazz clubs, Myers translated the rhythm, soul, and improvisational spirit of jazz into watercolors, etchings, intaglios, oil, and acrylic works that capture the genre’s unmistakable energy. More info
Our Voices Our Stories: Celebrating Black Authors
The Mizell Center hosts the second annual Our Voices Our Stories: Celebrating Black Authors on Sunday, February 8 from 10 am–1 pm, a free community gathering presented with the Palm Springs Public Library and Brothers of the Desert in honor of Black History Month. The morning begins with a welcome reception before featured authors RK Russell and Toni Ann Johnson take the stage for conversations about their work, their journeys, and the power of storytelling. More info
Hair
Hair opens at Palm Canyon Theatre on Friday, February 6, launching a spirited run through March 1 that channels the raw energy and cultural revolution of the 1960s. Audiences are invited into a world of peace, love, and youthful rebellion as a tribe of free‑spirited hippies navigates identity, protest, and the power of community. With its electrifying rock score and timeless call for change, this landmark musical continues to resonate with its bold, joyful, and unapologetically revolutionary spirit. Get tickets
Camp Morning Wood
Camp Morning Wood is making its west coast premiere, presented by the new PRISM Theater at The 4707 for a run that continues through Sunday, March 22. Fresh from its Off‑Broadway success, this bold and irreverent musical follows a newly engaged couple who unexpectedly land at a gay nudist camp, setting the stage for cheeky comedy, lively songs and outrageous choreography. Get tickets
The Art of Science
The Art of Science offers an intimate one‑man performance that blends live music, immersive visuals, and thought‑provoking scientific storytelling. Created by local artist Patrick Olson and refined after a successful Off‑Broadway chapter, the show invites audiences to explore connection, consciousness, and the universe in a uniquely moving way. Complimentary preview performances take place Saturdays from 7:30–8:45 pm and Sundays from 2–3:15 pm. More info
McCallum Theatre Orchestra
The McCallum Theatre Orchestra returns this weekend with performances on Friday, February 6 at 8 pm and Saturday, February 7 at 8 pm, led by renowned conductor Richard Kaufman. Known for his decades of work shaping the sound of film and television, as well as his celebrated tenure with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s CSO at the Movies series, Kaufman brings a program that highlights the power and sweep of music created for the screen. Get tickets
This Week at the Plaza Theatre
On Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7, the Plaza Theatre unveils rePLAY: The Importance of Being Earnest (in New York), a star‑studded script‑in‑hand performance featuring Christine Ebersole, Isabella Coben, Judy Kaye, Priscilla Lopez, Jess Salgueiro, Ryan Spahn, Michael Urie, and Lillias White. Then on Sunday, February 8, feed your inner dancing queen with MANIA: The ABBA Tribute, a globe‑touring celebration of ABBA’s greatest hits, complete with stunning vocals, choreography, and disco‑era magic. Get tickets
National Wear Red Day
National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 6 invites everyone to stand in solidarity for women’s heart health by wearing red and helping raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Landmarks across the country—including the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway—will glow red in support, while the American Heart Association encourages all to join the Go Red for Women movement by sharing the message and spreading awareness throughout the day. More info
