Coachella provides hope that – as Whitney Houston once sang – “children are our future”. Concert goers of all ages tramped around the polo grounds, but it’s a young person’s event for sure.
In looking at the ways in which they are expressing themselves, it reinforced to me: This nonsense about nonconformity and gender identity by elected leaders is out of touch with reality. From the outfits to the makeup, gender expression was on full display at Coachella. This generation can’t comprehend how they are suppose to fit neatly in two boxes – male or female.
I am hopeful that the world will change over time. Now those leaders are getting a taste of their own medicine: You must see the Instagram profile, RuPublicans, where politicians are AI’ed into drag. Brilliant! (BTW, Whitney’s Biopic just hit #1 on Netflix for the weekend).
Happy National Parks Week! Maybe a good time to visit Joshua Tree this week? Much more to do in my blog post!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
For the latest, follow our socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065 and listen to KGAY Palm Springs wherever you may be!
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Dining Out For Life 2023
Dining Out for Life is the annual, one-day-and-night-only national HIV/AIDS foodie fundraiser benefiting DAP Health. So this Thursday, April 27, locals, snowbirds, and even tourists will swell with pride and come out with a vengeance to raise much-needed funds while enjoying the generosity of participating local restaurants, bars, and bakeries that donate anywhere from 33 to 110% of their entire day and evening’s receipts — not just the profits — to the popular effort. Last year, Greater Palm Springs came in second only to Denver in the national ranking of proceeds by metro area. The goal this year is to come out on top so make your reservations and plan to have breakfast, lunch and dinner (even drinks at participating bars!) to dine out for life. More info
DBA Networking Mixer at Ball Beachwear
The Desert Business Association (DBA) presents their next Networking Mixer event at one of their newest DBA members, Ball Beachwear, on Monday, April 24 at 5:30 pm, just in time for warmer weather! Featuring swimwear, shorts, and tanks, this shop recently opened in Palm Springs, adding to its stores in Fort Lauderdale and Provincetown. Ball Beachwear has a wide selection of men’s swimwear and other attire to fix you right up! The DBA will also be having their regular raffle to support LGBTQ Youth Scholarships through Safe Schools Desert Cities, so please bring an item for the raffle, and some cash to win it back — hopefully along with something else! More info
Tinseltown’s Queer 30th Anniversary Celebration
Friday, April 28 is the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Nicholas Snow’s historic public access television show Tinseltown’s Queer: Activism Hollywood Style, celebrating from 6–9 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Be part of Queer media history in this celebratory evening of iconic archival television clips featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, as well as champions of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. Get tickets
KGAY is also giving away tickets to this 30th Anniversary Celebration, just enter on the KGAY Contest Page before the contests ends this week!
April Center Social at Impala
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert presents the April Center Social on Wednesday, April 26 from 5:30–7 pm. This month the social will be at Impala, the new bar & grill on the strip in downtown Palm Springs. The monthly Center Social is a mixer of fun, community, and happy hour! Look forward to friendship, connection, and a tasty happy hour. More info
Made in Hollywood Photography Show Extended
Rubine Red Gallery has extended a show of photography from Gina Schock‘s Made in Hollywood: All Access with The Go-Go’s showing at the gallery through May 1. The Go-Go’s were the first all-female rock group in history to write their own songs, play their own instruments, and reach the top of the Billboard charts with their #1 album, Beauty and the Beat. Made In Hollywood is drummer Gina Schock’s personal account of the band, which includes a treasure trove of photographs and memorabilia collected over the course of her 40-year career. More info
Prime Timers of the Desert at 1501 Uptown Gastropub
The Prime Timers of the Desert Monthly Dinner and April Fundraiser Event will take place at 1501 Uptown Gastropub on Wednesday, April 26 with cocktails at 5 pm and dinner at 6 pm. The large patio area will be reserved exclusively for alfresco dining for the PrimeTimers. The fixed-price menu includes a choice of soup or salad, three attractive entrees selections, and a delicious dessert. Taking place the day before Dining Out For Life, this Prime Timers of the Desert monthly dinner for April will be a fundraiser for DAP Health as well. Two ambassadors from DAP will be present to encourage donations from attendees and the Prime Timers will make a $10 donation for every member who participates that evening. More info
Palm Springs Chamber April Mixer
Everyone is invited to attend the Palm Springs Chamber’s April Mixer at the new Drift Hotel Palm Springs on Wednesday, April 26 from 5–7 pm. Free for members and $15 for guests. More info
Architecture Tours by Modernism Week
Architecture Tours by Modernism Week is a season-long series of high-quality, in-depth, small group tours, running now through May. The tours run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with most tours beginning at 9:30 am, departing from the Palm Springs Visitor Center. Modernism Week has partnered with PS Architecture Tours to enable participants to learn about the exciting architectural history of the Palm Springs area and experience midcentury modern culture and lifestyle. Get tickets
Stroke Risk Factors and How to Prevent a Stroke
The Center and Eisenhower Health present Stroke Risk Factors & How To Prevent A Stroke on Wednesday, April 26 at 4 pm via Zoom. Strokes affect nearly 800,000 Americans each year, contributing to about 140,000 deaths and forever changing the lives of stroke survivors. To understand stroke, it helps to understand the brain. The brain is responsible for motion, sensation, speech, memory, emotions, even major body functions such as breathing and digestion. Learn about Stroke Risk Factors and how to prevent a stroke or another stroke with Kathy Cash, RN, Stroke at Eisenhower Health. More info
Movies in the Park: Barefoot in the Park
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents Movies in the Park – Season 2 at the New Downtown Palm Springs Park on select Wednesdays. This week: On Wednesday, April 26 at 7 pm, the film will be Barefoot in the Park (1967). In this film based on a Neil Simon play, newlyweds Corie (Jane Fonda), a free spirit, and Paul Bratter (Robert Redford), an uptight lawyer, share a sixth-floor apartment in Greenwich Village. Soon after their marriage, Corie tries to find a companion for mother, Ethel (Mildred Natwick), who is now alone, and sets up Ethel with neighbor Victor (Charles Boyer). Inappropriate behavior on a double date causes conflict, and the young couple considers divorce. More info
Chocolate & Champagne Reception – Parkinson’s Awareness
A Chocolate & Champagne Cocktail Mixer for Parkinson’s Awareness will take place on Wednesday, April 26 from 6–8 pm at the Renaissance Esmeralda. This intimate cocktail mixer will have chocolate desserts from local artisans, a variety of champagnes, musical entertainment, a silent auction, and more. Get tickets
Wellness Expo for Parkinson’s Awareness
A Parkinson’s Awareness Month Wellness Expo will be held Friday, April 28 from 10 am–12:30 pm at Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church in Miller Hall. Six Coachella Valley programs and resources for Parkinson’s disease will come together for demos and discussions, including: Rock Steady Boxing Desert Cities, SongShine, PD in Motion, Speak out!, ACV Parkinson’s support group and Dr John Legge, Movement Disorder specialist from Eisenhower Health. This event is free and open to the public. More info
Desert Blues Revival: Darnell Cole and the Vibe
Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs presents the Desert Blues Revival every Wednesday at 8 pm in the Cascade Lounge. On Wednesday, April 26, Darnell Cole and the Vibe take the stage. Each week, come enjoy great bands playing authentic Blues, Soul, R&B, and Rock from all over the globe right here in your backyard. Get tickets
Jazzville: Sean Hicke Quartet
Jazzville invites you to experience the hottest acts in jazz and step back in time to when all the cool cats came to play and put Palm Springs on the map! On Thursday, April 27 from 7–8:30 pm, do yourself an inspirational favor and come hear Sean Hicke play bass with his equally, exceptionally talented band mates. Sean released a favorite jazz album of 2019 titled Sunflower Sutra, and they’ve finally been able to book him at Jazzville. It will be sublime. Get tickets
Glow in the Park – Final Week
The wildly popular nighttime event, Glow in the Park, is at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens now through April 30, from 6:30–10 pm, with last admission at 9 pm. This spring spectacular new lineup of hand-crafted lanterns represents wildlife from around the world—and even under the sea. These larger-than-life displays, which feature breathtaking artistry, interactive elements, and a never-ending number of photo-ops, will create a truly unforgettable night for guests of all ages. Get tickets
Desert X
After welcoming a total of more than 1.25 million to all three previous iterations in the Coachella Valley, Desert X presents their fourth biennial exhibition, running now through Sunday, May 7. The exhibition of site-specific installations by acclaimed international artists examines social and environmental themes. Check out our bookmarks on the exhibition from Wallpaper.com and AFAR.com. Free and open to the public, stop in at the Desert X hub at the Ace Hotel or download the app for information on artists, a map to find the installations, and interactive content. More info
THIS WEEKEND
Stagecoach Country Music Festival
Coachella Fest’s country cousin, Stagecoach, takes place this weekend, April 28–30 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Headliners are Luke Bryan on Friday, Kane Brown on Saturday, and Chris Stapleton on Sunday. Plus, there will be performances by: ZZ Top, Elle King, Melissa Etheridge, Riley Green, Old Dominion, Bryan Adams, Brooks & Dunn, Diplo and many, many more. See our event listing for the full rundown and schedule across all six stages and three days of music! Get tickets
Notorious! The Leading Ladies Who Rock Our World
The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus present Notorious! The Leading Ladies Who Rock Our World with special guest Sharon McNight on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 28–30. From Eva Perón to Agatha Hannigan to Dolly Levi, Annie Oakley to the Baker’s Wife to Ursula from The Little Mermaid, you’ll enjoy songs from Into the Woods, Chicago, Company, Wicked, and much, much more! Theatre queens and geeks alike, unite! New this season is Nickerson-Rossi Dance as the official choreographer for PSGMC. Get tickets
Desert Stonewall Democrats Spring Picnic in the Park
Desert Stonewall Democrats present their Spring Picnic in the Park on Saturday, April 29 from 11 am–2 pm at Ruth Hardy park. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers and hot dogs will be provided, along with a vegan option. You are invited to bring an appetizer, a side dish, or a dessert. Look for the signs and tents on the south side along Tamarisk Road; RSVP requested. More info
Caturday Breakfast
Calling all Cat Lovers! Animal Samaritans present the 2nd Annual Caturday Breakfast at The Rowan in Palm Springs on Saturday, April 29 from 9–11 am. Make a $20 donation when you arrive and enjoy free mimosas, breakfast bites, and a chance to win fabulous prizes! All proceeds benefit Animal Samaritans’ life-saving programs. There will also be kittens available for adoption at the event! If you dine at Rowan’s Juniper Table during the event, 10% of your meal purchase will be donated to Animal Samaritans. More info
The Play that Goes Wrong
Desert Theatreworks presents The Play That Goes Wrong now through April 30. Welcome to opening night of the Cornley University Drama Society’s newest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show – an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! Get tickets
Mid-Century Moderns
The Mid-Century Moderns musical returns to Oscar’s Downtown Palm Springs every Thursday and Friday, April 27 & 28 at 7 pm. Journey back to 1966 Palm Springs, along with the music of Tom Jones, Petula Clark, Lesley Gore, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, The Association, The Monkees and many more in the delightful tale of a plucky Wisconsin widow who transforms from frump to fabulous when she finds herself at the center of modernity in Palm Springs. 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 through May 27, with two shows per night at 7 pm & 9:30 pm. This show has been so popular they’ve extended its run by several weeks! 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
The Boys in the Band
The BENT in association with Palm Springs Cultural Center present The Boys in the Band from April 28–May 7 as the grand finale of their first season as Palm Springs new LGBTQ+ theater. Written by Mart Crowley, this is “the” play that defined gay theater when it premiered Off-Broadway in 1968. It is a ground-breaking portrayal of gay life in New York City during that era as a group of friends gather for a funny, but volatile birthday party that tests the boundaries of friendship. These iconic characters don’t always cast a pretty image of gay life in the 1960s, but they do skillfully reflect the pain, struggle and humanity of our past—much of which is still all too relevant today. Get tickets
Rachmaninoff & Friends
The Desert Winds Freedom Band presents Rachmaninoff and Friends on Saturday, April 29 at 2 pm at the Jewish Community Center. The Band will present a special and unique matinee concert featuring outstanding soloists and ensembles, followed by a wine and cheese reception. The Concert Band will accompany pianist and band member Dr. Randall Creighton on the popular and challenging Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2, first movement. Flautist and band member Sherri Marmon will perform the brilliant and technically demanding French composer’s Cecile Chaminade’s Concertino for Flute, Opus 107. The concert will also include The Swan from the Carnival of the Animals, Carl Bohm’s Quartet in F, a brass choir and a few other other soloists and small ensembles. Get tickets
International Jazz Day – Latin Jazz Extravaganza
The Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival celebrates this year’s International Jazz Day with a Latin Jazz Extravaganza on Sunday, April 30 from 2–4 pm at Vicky’s of Santa Fe in Indian Wells. Come for an afternoon of fun, food, specialty drinks, and incredible music, including a special tribute to the legendary Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. Sweet Baby J’ai has assembled a Women in Jazz All-Stars band guaranteed to keep you on your feet! From Salsa, Merengue, Samba, and Afro-Cuban to Soul, this group of dynamic women includes musical director Sunnie Paxson, bassist Jennifer Jo Oberle, drummer Dee Thompson, saxophonist Carol Chaikin, conga player Nikki Campbell, Cuban singer Whitney Hernandez, with 9X, charted Billboard singer/composer, recording artist, Latin sensation, Margo Rey. Get tickets
Coachella Valley Filipino Festival Preview Screening
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents a preview event for the first-ever Coachella Valley Filipino Festival (CVFF) on Sunday, April 30 at 5 pm, featuring a free screening of the documentary Ulam: Main Dish, and will be hosted by Manny the Movie Guy. This documentary by Filipino-American filmmaker Alexandra Cuerdo explores the rise of Filipino food in America through the experiences of award-winning Filipino-American chefs. The film celebrates the cultural significance of Filipino cuisine and identity, while also confronting the challenges of representing both Filipino and American culture. The preview event is a prelude to the Coachella Valley Filipino Festival, which will take place on Sunday, October 8th, from 11am to 5pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. More info
Annual LGBTQ Community Survey
We at KGAY 106.5 and Gay Desert Guide ask you to please take part in the Community Marketing & Insights (CMI) 17th Annual LGBTQ Community Survey! For over a decade, this survey has provided free data to help non-profits, universities, and organizations better understand and serve the LGBTQ community. The report will be published on the CMI.info website for free download on approximately August 15. Previous surveys have had over 45,000 participants from 150 countries!, Also, participation in this survey gives important feedback to our LGBTQ community media and organizations, and provides data to companies interested in serving our community, sponsoring our charities, and supporting their LGBTQ employees. The survey should take about 12 to 15 minutes to complete. Please [click here] to start the survey
Visitor Map & Guide Spring Edition
The Spring 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, Attraction, Gay Resorts with passes, Dispensaries and other services. You can also view it online, and download the PDF [here].
Click below to sign up for our Gay Desert Guide Oasis Insiders Newsletter to get our Weekly Blog, Top 3 Events for the weekend, Hot Deals and Cool Events all delivered to your inbox every Friday!
On the Air at KGAY 106.5
Win a Brand g Columbia River Cruise from KGAY
KGAY 106.5 wants to send YOU on a Brand g LGBT+ vacation to the Pacific Northwest sailing down the Columbia River! Listen Weekdays At 8 am, 1 pm or 5 pm for the KGAY 106.5 Song Of The Day. Then visit the KGAY Contest Page to enter the song name and you’re registered to win our Brand g Columbia River Cruise, sailing in June 2024. You’ll start your 8 day trip in historic Spokane and then enjoy breathtaking scenery from the luxury of your private veranda onboard the American Empress through Oregon and Washington…plus Brand g signature entertainment! Increase your chances to win by entering every weekday!
Win Tickets to Tinseltown’s Queer 30th Anniversary Celebration
Friday, April 28 is the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Nicholas Snow’s historic public access television show Tinseltown’s Queer: Activism Hollywood Style, celebrating from 6–9 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Be part of Queer media history in this celebratory evening of iconic archival television clips featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, as well as champions of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement [Get tickets]. KGAY 106.5 has your chance to win tickets, and there are 8 ways to enter on the KGAY Contest Page!
The KGAY Sunday Tea Dance with DJ Modgirl airs every Sunday from 4–6 pm (right after the Retro Brunch). DJ Modgirl (AKA Kellee McQuinn) is not only the life of the party, she’s also a cover girl on magazines and billboards, a television entertainer, and an award winning producer, director, lyricist and performer. Her moniker is “Music! Dancing! Fashion! Fun!” and she throws down the most irresistible, uplifting beats each week on the KGAY Sunday Tea Dance from 4–6 pm. Listen online
Ross Mathews hosts his popular weekly radio show on KGAY 106.5 airs on Saturdays from 11:00 am–2 pm. That’s 50% more Ross because now it’s a three-hour show! Ross is a part-time Palm Springs resident and currently working on The Drew Barrymore Show, RuPaul’s Drag Race and many other projects. He brings celebrity gossip and news, plus a rundown of what’s happening each weekend in #ILoveGayPalmSprings as he plays some of his favorite dance hits each weekend on KGAY. Listen Online
The KGAY 106.5 Retro Lunch airs Monday through Friday at noon, with DJ Galaxy (Vincent Corrales) and DJ Eric Ornelas playing an hour of their high-energy throwback mixes. On Sundays, we put all five hours together for the Retro Sunday Brunch from 11 am–4 pm. Perfect party music! Listen Online
- Chocolate and Champagne Cocktail Reception – Parkinson’s Awareness
Wed. Apr 26 from 6–8 pm at the Renaissance Esmeralda in Indian Wells - Dining Out For Life
Thu. Apr 27 at Various Bars & Restaurants in the Coachella Valley - Tinseltown’s Queer: Activism Hollywood Style
Fri. Apr 28 from 6–9 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center - Tommy Tune Talks with Lucie Arnaz
Fri.–Sun. Apr 28–30 at The Purple Room Supper Club - “Notorius!” presented by The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus
Apr 28, 29, & 30 at the Annenberg Theater - The Play That Goes Wrong presented by Desert Theatreworks
Apr 14–30 - Made in Hollywood – The Photography of Gina Schock of the Go-Go’s
Now through May 1 at Rubine Red Gallery - Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man
Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm through May 27 at Margaritaville Resort - White Party Palm Springs
May 12–14 at the Hilton Palm Springs and Palm Springs Convention Center - House Party PS: White Lotus Hawaii
Sat. May 20, from 5–8 pm at a private home in Palm Springs - Gay Wine Weekend
Jul 14–16 in Sonoma Wine Country - Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
Sep 20–24 at Margaritaville Resort
- Hiking With T: The Winter Precipitation Has Led to Gorgeous, Flowing Waterfalls
- Palm Springs Profiles: Nicholas Snow, Broadcast Pioneer Living His Truth
- PHOTOS: Fierce Fashionistas Frolic in the Desert at Coachella
- The Best Coffeehouses in Greater Palm Springs
- Agua Caliente Tribe’s Ancient Hot Mineral Spring Is Centerpiece of The Spa at Séc-he
V Wine Lounge and Martini Bar offers a large selection of California boutique and old world wines by the glass, throwback cocktails, craft beers and cheese plates in their beautiful mid-century lounge. With our HOT DEAL you can save 30% and get a $25 gift certificate for just $17.50! Get Your Deal
We also have Hot Deals at Boozehounds, Willie’s Modern Fare, Coachella Valley Coffee Co., Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon, Hunters Nightclub, Low Desert Modern Mexican, Desert Mischief, Jolene’s, Rick’s, Trevor Wayne Pop Art, Destination PSP, Kitchen 86, AMP Sports Lounge, Monster Shakes and more! See All Deals
Find out what’s happening on any given day by browsing our Gay Desert Guide Online Event Listing Calendar, and for the big picture, take a look at major upcoming events in our 2023 Coachella Valley Calendar of Events.
Listen to KGAY 106.5 over the air, stream it [here], or listen on TuneIn Radio with Alexa or Siri by saying “Play K-GAY 1065 from Tune In Radio.” Ross Mathews is on Saturdays from 11 am–2 pm, John Taylor is on mornings 6–10 am and program director Chris Shebel is on afternoons. Our Retro Lunch with DJ Galaxy and DJ Eric Ornelas is now heard on Sundays as the Retro Lunch & Sunday Brunch from 11 am–4 pm, followed by DJ Modgirl spinning the KGAY Sunday Tea Dance from 4–6 pm.
Don’t miss “This Way Out,” Sundays at 6:30 a.m. on KGAY 106.5. “This Way Out” is the only internationally distributed weekly LGBTQ radio program, currently airing on some 200 local community radio stations around the world. Listen to the latest episode as a podcast on our streaming page (click “Podcasts” in the upper right hand corner)