Summer conjures up lazily lounging with a good book or three. I remember spending time in our public library and around my childhood home with books as an escape, an educational tool and a way to learn how the world works.
Books have come into my purview this week as I ran into Palm Springs Director of Library Services Jeannie Kays, and we sat down for a quick lunch. The library is in the process of planning for a major renovation, but our conversation turned to the “book bans” happening across the nation.
Then, this Tweet from former President Barack Obama was shared with me – so I wanted to share it today.
Today, some of the books that shaped my life—and the lives of so many others—are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives. And librarians are on the front lines, fighting every day to make the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and… pic.twitter.com/txhCTfH3Gh
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 17, 2023
My team is planning for the Fall and Pride 2023 in Palm Springs. We’ve signed on to sponsor “Pride on the Page” book festival in October (a few weeks earlier this year). Julie Warren is hard at work securing a major author – and I hear rumors that it could be someone who tells great tales…
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Sing Along With Us – Annie Get Your Gun
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents classic movie musicals in the Sing Along With Us Film Series all summer long, on the largest screen in the valley at the Historic Camelot Theatre, and the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus will lead the singing! On Sunday, July 23 at 3 pm, come sing along to Annie Get Your Gun. In a small town in Ohio, Annie Oakley’s (Betty Hutton) extraordinary shooting skills catch the attention of Frank Butler (Howard Keel), a renowned marksman who works for Buffalo Bill’s (Louis Calhern) Wild West Show. Instantly smitten by Frank, Annie dreams of joining the show and winning his heart. Gay Desert Guide and KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs are proud media sponsors of the Sing Along With Us This Summer Film Series! Get tickets
🙌 You can enter to win tickets to Sing Along With Us on the KGAY Contest Page! 🙌
Taste of Summer Rancho Mirage
It’s time for Taste of Summer Rancho Mirage 2023, going on now through August 13. For just $10, your event wristband opens up a world of exclusive summer specials at participating Rancho Mirage restaurants so you can savor the best of the Rancho Mirage culinary scene, such as Willie’s Modern Fare, Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, Las Casuelas Nuevas, Shame on the Moon, Si Bon, and more. See our event listing for a link to the full list of participating restaurants and their exclusive Taste of Summer offers. Wristbands can be picked up at a variety of non-profits. More info
Barbie & Oppenheimer
The much-anticipated opening weekend for both the Barbie and Oppenheimer films is here, and at Mary Pickford Theater – D’Place Entertainment in Cathedral City, they’re running a “Barbenheimer” special to celebrate this big weekend! Purchase a ticket to watch both films this weekend and receive free refills on any size popcorn and fountain drinks. In light of the ongoing excessive heat warning in Greater Palm Springs, it’s a great time to kick back in the air-conditioned comfort of Mary Pickford’s recliner seating and maybe enjoy some of their house-made ice cream too. More info
Broadway to the BIG SCREEN – Hair
Every Saturday this summer, the Palm Springs Cultural Center presents the great musicals that made it from Broadway to the BIG SCREEN (and sometimes back again). On Saturday, July 22 at 4 pm, the featured film is Hair. Although its story revolves around the Vietnam war, and the anti-war movement at the time, the musical HAIR is a timeless tale of innocence lost, young love, counter culture, flower power and the tragedy of (any) war. Oklahoma farm boy Claude Hooper Bukowski (John Savage) travels to New York with the intent of enlisting in the army. But when he meets up with a freewheeling group of Central Park hippies led by the irrepressible George Berger (Treat Williams), life suddenly looks less certain. MeTV 103.1 fm is a proud media sponsor of the Broadway to the BIG SCREEN Film Series! Get tickets
Beetlejuice Touring Company
The touring production of the Broadway musical Beetlejuice, says our theatre reviewer Stephen Radosh, “is filled with the frenetic energy one expects from a staged version of Tim Burton’s cult favorite film. The sets by David Korins enhanced by Kenneth Posner’s lighting design provide the appropriate visual quirkiness.” But for Radosh, the production fell “surprisingly flat” overall. Learn more when you read his full review. Beetlejuice is playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through July 30.
Soak & Sip at The Good House
Join The Good House on Saturday, July 22 from 5–8 pm for Soak and Sip, a curated tasting of summertime wines from around the world, homemade pizzas, organic charcuterie and enjoy a sunset soak in the hottest mineral springs in Desert Hot Springs at The Good House. Get tickets
Sunsets at the Street Fair
The College of the Desert’s Street Fair presents Sunsets at The Street Fair with special evening hours on select dates through the summer. Come enjoy sunset shopping from 6:30–10:30 pm on Saturday, July 22. Your next chances for sunset shopping will be August 26 and September 23. More info
Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Fest
The 41st Annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival (the biggest LGBTQ+ film festival in the world) is taking place now through Sunday, July 23, in different venues around Los Angeles. Outfest helps LGBTQIA+ storytellers overcome barriers to entry into the entertainment industry by providing critical skills, access and support to both emerging and established filmmakers. There are many events, workshops, masterclasses, and panels for both the community and filmmakers to participate in, plus all the film screenings and even a virtual festival you can enjoy from anywhere. The festival ends with a Closing Night Gala featuring Chasing Chasing Amy, directed by Sav Rodgers. More info
Vote for Mitch! – Favorite Chef
Palm Springs’ own Mitchell Battersby is still in the running for the prestigious Favorite Chef competition, presented by celebrity chef Carla Hall. In this tournament-style competition, competitors go through rounds, and those with the most votes in those rounds move on. To win Favorite Chef, one must leverage the power of social media and word-of-mouth advertising to garner the support of the public to vote. From a humble group of over 100 talented chefs, Mitch has challenged himself to prove time and again that his culinary skills are unrivaled. As he continues to work toward the finals, you can help Mitch win by voting daily, and if he wins the competition, he’s donating $5,000 to Palm Springs Pride to help keep Pride free for everyone. Vote today
Recap: Season 8 RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Episode 11
Gay Desert Guide Drag Correspondent Dante Noto has your latest recap for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 8, Episode 11: The Fame Games Variety Extravaganza, where it’s down to the top two queens of the season, Jimbo and Kandy Muse. Dante explains they “had a pact to make it together to the end and it held up where other alliances failed. After some buffoonery, wig pulling and friendly trash talk, it’s evident: the alliance is ovah! Kandy’s ready to go head to head and tit to tit for the crown.” In addition to their face off, the eliminated queens are back to compete in the Fame Games, where fans cast votes online in support of their unaired runway looks. Read more about it in Dante’s full recap of Episode 11 [here].
Wine & Weenies
Wine & Weenies is taking place every Friday in July from 5–7 pm at PSBS (Palm Springs Bottle Shop). Admission gets you two glasses of wine, a hot dog, a bag of chips, and a whole lotta fun! Come cool off on Friday evenings with good people, cold wine, and hot dogs with a chance to shop late at PSBS and Mojave Flea Trading Post. A portion of ticket sales benefits the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. Get tickets
