Florida’s draconian policies and laws are having an effect on travel and tourism in addition to the toll that they take on residents.
Case in point: the IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) has selected Palm Springs as its 2025 Global Convention destination. Many in our community worked hard to land this conference, confirming the event’s return to the US West Coast for the first time since 2015. Florida was also in the running.
According to the release, “Known for its thriving LGBTQ+ community and welcoming atmosphere, Palm Springs is set to provide an unforgettable experience for attendees from around the world. IGLTA is proud to partner with Visit Greater Palm Springs to make this historic event possible.”
It’s a big win when a major conference chooses our destination not only for the economic impact, but it also allows us to show off to the world. We’re not a “best kept secret” by a long stretch, and I’m happy that we’ll be hosting! Stay tuned for yet another LGBTQ+ conference announcement soon!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Heklina’s Birthday Memorial & Roast Screening
Celebrate the life of Heklina with love, laughs and filthy jokes on Saturday, June 17 (her birthday) from 7–9 pm at her artistic home in the desert, The Palm Springs Cultural Center. Presenters include Mario Diaz, Vanity Halston and Anita Treadmill, with performances by Heklina’s friends Deven Green & Handsome Ned, Mutha Chucka, Monistat and Matthew Martin & Andy Clements. Followed by very special screenings of: Heklina, a 2013 documentary short by Brian Favorite, and The Drag Roast of Heklina (2019) courtesy of Revry. Proceeds benefit Animal Samaritans and the ACLU Drag Defense Fund. Get tickets
No Time to Spare – HRC Palm Springs Bowling for Equality
The HRC Palm Springs Bowling for Equality event is back this Sunday, June 18 from 2:30–4:30 pm at Palm Springs Lanes. This fundraiser couldn’t take place at a more urgent time. With relentless attacks in state legislatures across the country on LGBTQ+ youth and their families, we have “No Time to Spare” in the fight for equality. Join your fellow HRC members and supporters at the Palm Springs Lanes for a great afternoon of bowling, fun, and friends—whether you’re bowling or not—come to support HRC’s work to advance equality for all LGBTQ+ people. More info
Sexy Daddy Contests for Father’s Day
Sunday, June 18 is Father’s Day and both Streetbar and Hunters are holding Sexy Daddy Contests! Are you a sexy daddy or do you know one? Hunters holds their contest from 1–3 pm and Streetbar will hold theirs from 4–6 pm. Come to compete or just to celebrate the sexy daddies. First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded for each bar. More info
Coachella 2024 Advance Sale Starts Friday
The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (also known as simply “Coachella”) has announced the dates for next year’s two-weekend event: April 12–14, and April 19–21, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. While we won’t know who is playing until that is announced much later, Advance sale for Coachella 2024 passes starts Friday, June 16 at 11am PT. More info
Coachella Valley Firebirds: Calder Cup Final
The Coachella Valley Firebirds have made it to the Calder Cup Final in their inaugural season! They began play in the 2022-23 American Hockey League with the brand-new Acrisure Arena as their home ice, as an owned-and-operated affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. They’ve emerged victorious from the Western Conference Finals, and are now in the the Calder Cup Finals (best of 7 games) against the Hershey Bears, and they’ve started by winning two home games and are now playing away at Hershey, where the Bears tied up the series 2 to 2. The next game will be in Hershey on Saturday, June 17 and then the series will return to the Coachella Valley for Games 6 & 7 on Monday, June 19 and Wednesday, June 21, if necessary. Get tickets
Low Dez Fest Summer Preview
Palm Springs Bottle Shop presents a Low Dez Fest Summer Preview, an LGBTQ+ wine tasting and mini-festival on Saturday, June 17 from 3–7 pm at Market Market. This event is a preview for the planned Low Dez Fest in the fall of 2023 (dates TBD), to bring together makers to build community, showcase their products, learn from one another, and revitalize spirits in the desert magic of Palm Springs. Come enjoy wine, beer, sake, and non-alcoholic beverage tasting with pop up food, music and dancing! Get tickets
Sunday Supper: A Juneteenth “Family” Reunion
Join Brothers of the Desert and members of the larger Black LBGTQ+ community to celebrate Juneteenth and consider its traditions and meaning on Sunday, June 18 from 4–8 pm at Mizell Center. Dinner will be prepared and provided by some our best chefs in the community. There will be a short program of music and spoken word offerings by Sweet Baby J’ai, Keisha D, Richard Riley, Anye Elite, Perry Lang and others, plus a tribute to leader and trailblazer, Gail Christian. After dinner, the celebration continues with music and dancing, plus a contest for the best Juneteenth cake with a prize of a gourmet gift basket. Get tickets
Boyz Night Out
On Friday, June 16—and every Friday night!— Zoso Fun presents Boyz Night Out at Hotel Zoso from 4 pm–8 pm. This legendary pool party and happy hour is hosted by Snatch and features music from K-Gay’s own multi award-winning deejay Vincente Corrales as DJ Galaxy! Come and enjoy go-go boys, awesome drink specials, pop up drag events, PS Flaggers and more, and kick off the weekend! More info
Recap: Season 8 RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Episode 6
Gay Desert Guide Drag Correspondent Dante Noto has your latest recap for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 8, Episode 6: JOAN! The Unauthorized Rusical, and Dante says, “It’s a new day and the werkroom is decorated with portraits of two great Hollywood stars: Joan Crawford and Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford. (Really, who can tell them apart anymore?). This week’s maxi challenge will be to perform in JOAN! The Unauthorized Rusical. Each queen will play Joan at a different stage in her career.” Find out how it all went down, how they worked the runway, and who was sent home when you read his full recap of Episode 6 [here].
Dive-In Movie: Puss in Boots – The Last Wish
Palm Desert Aquatic Center presents their Dive-In Movie Series, sponsored by Family YMCA of the Desert, this Friday, June 16 at 7:30 pm at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center. The film will be Disney’s charming and popular Puss in Boots – The Last Wish. Sing along with Puss and all your favorite characters in this tale of redemption and happy adventures under the stars and in the pool. The many amenities will be open including the slides, rock climbing wall, rope swing and more. Bring the kids, towels, a blanket and your swimsuits! More info
The Summer 2023 edition of our Gay Desert Guide Visitor Map & Guide (great for locals too) is available now around town and online! We help you find everything you need to know while visiting or living in the Coachella Valley, featuring the top places for Food & Drink, Nightlife, Shopping, Attractions, Gay Resorts with passes, Dispensaries and other services. You can also view it online, and download the PDF [here].
Laguna Beach Pride Fundraiser
Laguna Beach Pride 365 presents a premiere event “I am what I am…”, an evening-long Drag Cabaret and Fundraising Event on Saturday, June 17 from 6–10 pm at the Bridge Hall & Garden Courtyard. The cabaret entertainment will feature on stage a bevy of the best comedic Drag personalities that Orange County has to offer, featuring Miss Take, Koutur, Electra, and Cucu Chanel, with their local DJ in the mix all night long, with a silent auction to benefit the new community Rainbow Lifeguard Tower of Diversity at West Street Beach and Laguna Beach annual Pride Festival activities. More info
Screwball Sundays: Ball of Fire
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents a series of the greatest screwball comedies of Hollywood’s golden age, showing Ball of Fire (1941) on Sunday, June 18 at 3 pm. Hoping to update his chapter on modern slang, encyclopedia writer Professor Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper) ventures into a chic nightclub. Inside, he meets the snarky burlesque performer “Sugarpuss” O’Shea (Barbara Stanwyck). Fascinated by her command of popular jargon, Potts invites her to stay with him. But, unknown to Potts, she is the fiancée of a mobster (Dana Andrews) and wanted by the police. In the ensuing mayhem, Potts must stay on his toes or be swallowed up by bigger fish. Get tickets
