FREE! Palm Springs Premier of the The Freedom to Marry film
Local residents Rich Weissman and J.D. Horn are hosting a 2nd event for the community – Saturday, January 20, at 1:30 PM at the Camelot Theatre – to present this incredible full-length feature film, speakers and event activities. The event is co-sponsored by the Gay Desert Guide and The Palm Springs Cultural Center, which includes Cinema Diverse, The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, The American Documentary Film Festival (AmDocs), the Certified Farmers’ Markets (CFM) and the Camelot Theatres.
The film, by Eddie Rosenstein, is the epic, nail-biting, untold story of how same-sex marriage became law of the land. It follows Evan Wolfson, the architect of the movement, and his key colleagues on the decades long battle, culminating in the dramatic fight at the U.S Supreme Court. The film is more than the saga of one movement's history – it’s an inspiring tale of how regular people can actually win, and how activists can effectively change the minds and laws of a nation.
And, Evan Wolfson, the founder and living legend behind marriage equality, will be speaking! Evan was the genius behind and head of the Freedom to Marry organization. He conceived of the concept while a law student at Harvard three plus decades ago, working on every step of the effort, state-by-state and nationally. He now works internationally, bringing marriage equality to many nations throughout the world. It is an honor to have him come to the Palm Springs community and speak.
Evan will be joined by other honored speakers: Kate Kendall (Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights) who appears in the film, Misha Isaak (General Counsel to Oregon Governor Kate Brown) who litigated and won marriage equality for Oregon, and Geoff Kors (Palm Springs Councilmember) who served on the Freedom To Marry national board. And, Modern Men chorus will be singing.
On January 20th, the Palm Springs Cultural Center will unveil the complex's new name on the building and new lobby. Starting at noon, there will be a tent for community activities, including taking photos of people jumping, to become part of the future “Jump For Joy” mural on the theater’s building (come get your photo taken as you jump – you may be in the mural!), and a red carpet step-up for photos with “Married In Palm Springs” backdrop.
There is an another free showing of the film with the same speakers/Q&A, “Jump For Joy” photographer, red carpet step-up, with singing by the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, on the same day at 6:30 pm. Reserve Your Free Tickets!
Vote Your Favorites for THE RAMMY Awards (Including GayDesertGuide.com)
We're thrilled that Gay Desert Guide has been nominated as Small Business of the Year by our fellow members at the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce, but voting is available to everyone! So please vote for us and your favorites in other categories in Social Voting.
The voting process has historically been only chamber members allowed to vote. By popular demand they are opening voting up to the public. Please share this link to your co-workers, friends, family and on your social networks and encourage them to vote. VOTE HERE
Tickets are also available for the Annual Installation Gala & Rammy Awards to celebrate business success on January 29th 2018 at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. Get Tickets
Dezart Performs Celebrates 10 Years with a Big Bash
This once-in-a-decade party celebrates Dezart Performs' 10th Anniversary season. Join celebrities, theatre alumni and city officials as we toast and honor those who helped create one of the desert's finest small theatre companies. Hosted by the incomparable team at Eight4Nine Restaurant, this exclusive twilight reception will feature delectable hors doeuvres, free-flowing wine and champagne and a Celebration Cake created specially for us. Join us as we "walk down memory lane" and highlight special moments from the last 10 years. Proceeds to benefit Dezart Performs award-winning work and The Dezart Performs Scholarship Fund. Tickets are only $50. More Info
His & Hers GAY!LAs at the Palm Springs International Film Festival!
Gay!La Hers – My Days of Mercy
Two young women (Ellen Page and Kate Mara, both superb) on opposite sides of the US death-penalty debate become lovers, putting themselves at risk of familial ostracism. Tali Shalom-Ezer’s disarming, intelligent and surprisingly subtle work is observational drama at its finest. The film will also be shown on: January 11, 2018 – 5:45 PM – Annenberg Theater; January 12, 2018 – 10:30 AM – Regal Cinemas. More Info
Gay!La His – The Gospel According to André
Draped in capes and caftans, the glorious giant André Leon Talley is an icon of the fashion world, an editor and contributor to Vogue who has reigned for decades as an unimpeachable arbiter of style. This delicious documentary revels in Talley’s larger than life, stereotype-shattering persona while revealing the complex man behind the myth. The film will also be shown on: January 12, 2018 – 10:00 AM – Annenberg Theater. January 13, 2018 – 5:30 PM Regal Cinemas. More Info. For everything PSIFF, visit www.psfilmfest.org.
Icons & Idols Benefit Concert To Pay Homage to Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury, George Michael, and Prince
The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District is proud to announce that “Grab Your Seat: Icons & Idols,” its annual benefit concert, will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at 7 PM at the Richards Center for the Arts (formerly Palm Springs High School Auditorium, located at 2360 Ramon Road in Palm Springs). The concert is a musical tribute to Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury, George Michael, and Prince, and is presented by Michael Childers with Frank Goldstin.
This annual fundraising concert celebrates four musical legends who influenced the worldwide musical scene in a new production created by the celebrated Michael Childers with Frank Goldstin. “Grab Your Seat: Icons & Idols” pays homage to Janis Joplin (performed by Mary Bridget Davies), Freddie Mercury (performed by Von Smith), George Michael (performed by Jake Simpson), and Prince (performed by Rogelio Douglas, Jr.). These four singing sensations will bring new life to classic and cherished songs originally performed by these entertaining legends, and all proceeds will benefit Palm Springs Unified School District arts education programs. More Info
rabbit HOLE On the Local Stage
Beginning January 12 at the Pearl McManus Theatre, Dezart Performs presents Dezart Performs presents rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire.
About the play, "Becca and Howie Corbett have everything a family could want, until a life-shattering accident turns their world upside down and leaves the couple drifting perilously apart. RABBIT HOLE charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day. Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize. More Info
Aspen Gay Ski Week 2018
Beginning Sunday, snow bunnies converge in Aspen for the 41st Gay Ski Week. A winter wonderland event set in the majestic Aspen Snowmass area. Featuring daily skiing & snowboarding, apres ski, dining, shopping, art, comedy, dancing, pool parties and so much more.
If you've been coming for years or it's your first time, you're sure to have a blast and enjoy all that Aspen has to offer. Get more information on lodging and events at www.gayskiweek.com. See you there!
En Vogue, Thelma Houston, Ross Matthews Front and Center at the 24th Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards
Co-chairs Patrick Jordan and Lauri Kibby will join Senator Barbara Boxer on February 10 when they welcome more than 1,500 D.A.P. supporters at the 2018 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards benefitting Desert AIDS Project. The party begins with red carpet arrivals at the Palm Springs Convention Center at 5:30 PM.
Now in its 24th year, the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala has raised millions of dollars to care for people living with HIV. First organized by and named for famed interior designer Steve Chase – a former D.A.P. donor, volunteer, and board member – the gala is a highlight of the desert social season and preceded the night prior by an exclusive VIP pre-party honoring major donors and celebrity guests.
Palm Springs Life Magazine had this to say about last year’s gala: “The Chase has a reputation among trendsetters as one of the few gala events where attendees are encouraged to have fun and take risks with fashion … and the guests did not disappoint. Black sequins and Mr. Turk dinner jackets were de rigueur for many men, as were well-fitted and accessorized tuxedos (which held their own alongside long gowns and sexy short dresses).”
This year’s Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards will be hosted by Ross Mathews. Mathews has established himself as one of the most in-demand television personalities hosts and pop culture experts in the entertainment arena today. Endearing and witty, Mathews has won the hearts of millions of Americans since his television debut – as a correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Mathews can be seen as a judge on the smash hit LOGO series “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. Mathews is also a fixture on “E! News” and E! Network’s live red carpet award show coverage year round. He was most recently seen hosting E!’s “Live From E!”. He was also the host of “Hello Ross”, a weekly fan destination where the intersections of celebrity gossip and pop culture collide, giving a unique viewpoint into the latest Hollywood news. Mathews can also be heard weekly on his top-rated, PodcastOne show “Straight Talk with Ross Mathews”.
Chief Development Officer, Darrell Tucci is excited about this year’s entertainment. “I think we’re going to see a room full of friends singing along to the hits of headline entertainment En Vogue.”
The group has never been afraid to break the mold and step ‘outside’ the norm. From “Free Your Mind” to “My Lovin”, they have been trendsetters in music and style. Today, affectionately known as the “original funky divas”, they are redefining the idea of beauty and what it means, beyond the traditional sense, with their distinctive fusion of music and style.
Recognized as one of the top five highest selling American female music groups in history, En Vogue has sold more than 20 million albums and effortlessly transitioned into the digital age, amassing more than 30 million streams and more than 26 million YouTube views on their top six hit singles alone: the R&B and Pop smash hits Hold On, Free Your Mind, Never Gonna Get It, Giving Him Something He Can Feel, and Don’t Let Go.
Contrary to popular belief, En Vogue has never disbanded. As true music veterans who have withstood ever-changing music industry fads and trends, the group continues to record and perform worldwide with original members Cindy Herron-Braggs, Terry Ellis, and newest member, Rhona Bennett.
“We find total freedom and fulfillment when we hit the stage,” Cindy Herron-Braggs says. “It’s the ultimate connection with our fans. It’s about the energy you receive, the love, and the reciprocation from the message in the music.”
Attendees of The Chase know to pace themselves during the evening so they have energy left for its famous after-party, which will feature a DJ, a performance by Thelma Houston, and a series of tightly guarded surprises revealed as guests dance the night away in a lounge created inside the Palm Springs Convention Center. Guests of the after party can expect her signature blend of high- energy dance classics and soulful ballads.
Thelma Houston may be best known for the worldwide success of her disco anthem “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, but her support of AIDS Services organizations is also legendary. She is known for her dedication to humanitarian causes, including tireless efforts in the battle against AIDS and deep commitments to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). In 2013, the City of West Hollywood named January 29th “Thelma Houston Day” in recognition of her many charitable activities. Get Your Tickets
Time to Get Your Run On! Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo 2018
Start out the New Year with a healthy and fitness-oriented routine! Join thousands of runners for the Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo Saturday, January 27 from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Run through the incredibly scenic neighborhoods of Palm Springs for the 10K, 5K and 1K Fun Run. Over 100 health and wellness booths provide giveaways and services, fitness experts, and cooking demonstrations. Register now and come experience one of the largest events of its kind in Southern California…Fun for the entire family! Every 5K and 10K registrant receives breakfast snacks, t-shirt, registration bag and finisher’s medal. 1K Fun Run finisher’s receive finisher’s medal.
When a runner registers through ACTIVE, they can now donate directly to one of our 3 charities (PSUSD Foundation, Desert Healthcare Foundation and United Way of the Desert) when checking out. More Info
Thunder From Down Under at The Show
The perfect night outback! Australia's hottest export, Thunder From Down Under hits an intimate stage showing off chiseled bodies, seductive dance routines, cheeky humor and boy-next-door charm that you won't be able to resist! Each sexy performer embodies a different female fantasy and brings it to life, turning your wildest dreams into reality. This isn't the type of show you just sit and watch, Thunder is a fully interactive experience. The blokes make their way through the crowd and even select a few lucky ladies to join in the fun on stage. Don't miss your chance to get up close and personal with these Aussie hunks at Southern California’s premier theater, The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. More Info
Nunsensations: The Nunsense Vegas Revue
Beginning next weekend for the rest of the month, The Indio Performing Arts Center presents Nunsensations: The Nunsense Vegas Revue, which takes the sisters on a brand new adventure.When a parishioner volunteers to donate $10,000 to the sisters’ school if they will perform in a club in Las Vegas,
Mother Superior is hesitant to accept. However, after being convinced by the other sisters that “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” Reverend Mother agrees. What follows is the most feather-filled,sequin-studded, fan dancing Nunsense show ever! Performing in “The Pump Room” at the Mystique Motor Lodge, the sisters experience “show-biz” like never before. You’ll meet Sin-City Sue, find out who’s Black and White with Her Money on Red, and try tow in a new car with the “Holy Rollers Giant Slot Machine.” Taking a line from another show, a critic pointed out, “It’s a whole lot funny and a little bit naughty, but there ain’t nothin’ dirty goin’ on!” Don't miss the Desert Theatreworks production. More Info