This week in #ILoveGayPalmSprings – Our NEW Gay Desert Guide FREE Map & Calendar is out and about around town (and online), TryOut Tuesday is at Club Pilates, there's a Little Shop of Horrors Singalong with Among Friends, Jazzville at Hotel Zoso, Palm Springs Yappy Hour (woof!), an informational session on Depression & Anxiety at The Center, Outbook Club + Mixer, and a dedication on the Walk of Stars for Steve Chase! And that's not to mention the MAJOR confluence of events happening this weekend–it's going to be a particularly busy one with cyclists, pilots, & bears (and much more)–oh my! Read on for a full preview!
New Map & Calendar is Out Now!
Whether you’re visiting Greater Palm Springs or have guests coming to town, Gay Desert Guide’s free Map & Calendar gets you oriented to the best nightlife, happy hours, restaurants & bars, attractions and events. Pick up your free copy at visitor’s centers, hotels, gay resorts or view online here. Keep a copy in your guest room so your visiting friends know what we at Gay Desert Guide know – Greater Palm Springs has a lot to offer our LGBT locals and visitors alike! Download Today
TryOUT Tuesday at Club Pilates Palm Springs
Gay Desert Guide is co-hosting an exciting opportunity for you to try a FREE 50-minute intro Pilates class at Club Pilates Palm Springs on Tuesday, February 5 from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Come learn how a consistent Pilates practice can offer benefits to everybody––Whether you’re an experienced athlete looking to step up your training or you’re simply looking to start a new fitness routine, Pilates creates a strong foundation of balance, strength, mobility and flexibility. Registration includes a $5 gift certificate for Jus Chillin' frozen treats! – Space is limited, call Club Pilates at 760-537-0457 to reserve your spot today. More info
Little Shop Of Horrors Singalong
Join the fun on Wednesday, February 6 from 6:00–9:30 p.m. when Among Friends presents a Little Shop of Horrors Singalong! Cocktail party (costume optional) at 6:00 p.m., with movie starting at 7:30 p.m. Lyrics provided! Get Tickets
Jazzville feat. Joshua White Trio
Jazzville Palm Springs presents The Joshua White Trio at Hotel Zoso on Wednesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m. Herbie Hancock said that Joshua White delivers a "…daring and courageous approach to improvisation on the cutting edge of innovation. He is his own man." Joshua is in demand as one of Southern California’s most creative and technically accomplished jazz pianists. Get Tickets
Mark your calendar, too, for Jazzville on Wednesday, February 20, featuring Muni Hossn Quartet.
Palm Springs Yappy Hour
Animal Samaritans presents Palm Springs Yappy Hour on Thursday, February 7 from 5:00–7:00 p.m., in the private Chiki Pool area at Riviera Palm Springs. Admission includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres and wine. Speciality cocktail and mocktail cash bar benefits Animal Samaritans. Well-behaved, leashed, socialized dogs are welcome! Humans without dogs welcome too. More info
Informational Session: Confronting Depression & Anxiety
The LGBT Community Center of The Desert and Eisenhower Health present: Living Your Best Life: Confronting Depression and Anxiety on Wednesday, February 6 from 5:30–6:30 p.m. LGBTQ individuals are almost three times more likely than others to experience a mental health condition such as major depression or generalized anxiety disorder. Join Mayu Roberts, MD to learn what you can do to begin living the life you desire now. This is a FREE event but registration is requested. More info
Outbook Club + Mixer
The Palm Springs Cultural Center and the Palm Springs Library join together in presenting the Outbook Club + Mixer, held this month on Wednesday, February 6 from 6:00–8:30 p.m. at the PS Cultural Center. To join, simply pick up this month's selection: Desert Boys, by Chris McCormick. More info
Steve Chase Walk of Stars Dedication Ahead of Gala
One day in advance of The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala (Feb 9), The City of Palm Springs will posthumously honor Steve Chase as a humanitarian and designer with a Palm Springs Walk of Stars Dedication in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum, on Friday, February 8 at 4:30 p.m. Chase’s philanthropy has had a lasting impact on the environment, arts & culture, and healthcare through his support of the Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum, and Desert AIDS Project. Leaders of the three non-profits will speak about the lasting impact of his support during the dedication ceremony. More info
SOLD OUT! – The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday, February 9, 
attended by more than 2,000 of the Coachella Valley’s most fashionable humanitarians. This year marks the 25th year for Desert AIDS Project’s largest fundraising event. The evening will also honor Geoff Kors and James Williamson with the Partners for Life Award. Kors and Williamson have a long history of community leadership, focusing their time and resources on social and political issues as varied as LGBTQA+ rights, education, and healthcare. Get tickets
RENT: 20th Anniversary Tour
The McCallum Theatre presents RENT's 20th Anniversary Tour from Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 10. This original rock musical by little-known composer Jonathan Larson opened on Broadway in 1996 and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. "No Day But Today!" Get tickets
International Bear Convergence
The International Bear Convergence (IBC) is the premier event for Bears and Admirers, coming Thursday, February 7 through Monday, February 11 to Hotel Zoso. The four-day event will come to life with DJs, live entertainment and thousands of bears from around the globe who come to enjoy themed pool parties, dance events, fun, frolic, and fur! Get tickets
Gay Pilots Come to Town
The Winter Warm-Up is the National Gay Pilots Association's flagship West Coast event, which is held Thursday, February 7 through Sunday, February 10 and is by far their largest yearly gathering. Includes special presentations, dinner banquet, and industry expo. More info
Tour de Palm Springs – Saturday
This annual charity cycling event attract upwards of 6,000 cyclists, for rides of multiple distances, with start times ranging from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb 9. Keep an eye out for road closures downtown for the Vendor Expo, and lane closures along the race routes. More info
Palm Springs Winter Classic Softball Tournament
AAP–Food Samaritans, in cooperation with the City of Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Gay Softball League, presents the 28th annual Palm Springs Winter Classic Softball Tournament, Feb 8–10. Eighty teams and hundreds of LGBT softball players will compete in the Softball Tournament, played at Demuth Park in Palm Springs and Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City. The public is invited to attend an opening reception Friday, February 8 from 7:00–9:00 p.m. at Hunter’s Nightclub. More info
Brew at the Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens presents Brew at the Zoo on Saturday, February 9 from 6:30–9:30 p.m. with a selection of tastings from some of the finest specialty brews around. In addition to beer, enjoy premium wines, non-alcoholic beverages and 10+ food trucks. The evening also includes entertainment with several live music stages throughout the grounds. The African section of the park will be open for guests to explore and see animals such as zebras, cheetahs, and oryx. Get Tickets
Dan Savage's HUMP! Film Festival
The HUMP! Film Festival has been bringing audiences a new kind of porn since 2005, and comes to the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Friday and Saturday, February 8 & 9. The festival features short dirty movies—each less than five minutes—all created by people who aren’t porn stars but want to be one for a weekend. HUMP! is a celebration of creative sexual expression whose main mission is to change the way America sees—and makes and shares—porn. Get tickets
Desert X Opens
The once-every-two-years art exhibition, Desert X, is back and features an expanded footprint this year. There will be three hub locations across the valley: Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Indio, with exhibits stretching from Palm Springs to the Salton Sea. Also featuring multiple programs, performances, and a three-day "unsymposium." Exhibition runs February 9–April 21. More info
Theatre This Weekend
This weekend is your last chance to see the dramatic comedy Looped, and the final performances of Guys & Dolls. We also have two productions opening this weekend, For a Reason and Some Enchanted Evening. Plus, White continues at CVRep!
The Desert Rose Playhouse presents Looped, by Matthew Lombardo, through February 10 and starring Judith Chapman as Tallulah Bankhead. During the Summer of 1965, an inebriated Bankhead entered a Los Angeles recording studio in an effort to re-record (or “loop”) a few lines of dialogue from her final film Die! Die! My Darling. Though Bankhead's outsized personality dominates the session, this dramatic comedy involves her battle of wills with film editor Danny Miller, a conservative man who guards his own deep secret. Get tickets
Read our Looped review by Stephen Radosh, who says "…the best news of all is that the incredible Judith Chapman is the one giving this stunningly magnificent performance as Tallulah…a master class in the importance of every single detail in creating a fully developed character onstage." Read the full review here
Palm Canyon Theatre presents Guys and Dolls through February 12. Set in Depression-era Times Square, Guys and Dolls tells the overlapping stories of high-roller Sky Masterson, who falls in love with mission worker Sarah Brown, and lovable rapscallion Nathan Detroit, engaged for 14 years to Miss Adelaide, a headliner at the Hot Box Club. Nathan runs a famous floating crap game, and an ongoing plot line involves his quest for a safe place for the game as Adelaide continues her quest to convince him to marry her. Meanwhile, Sarah, mistakenly believing that Sky set up an illegal game at the mission, tries to fight her affection for the charismatic crapshooter. Get tickets
Desert Ensemble Theatre Company presents For a Reason, a new comedy by Tony Padilla, from Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 17 at the Pearl McManus Theater. This fascinating four-person character study focuses on the reasons people come into our lives, and the often-surprising consequences that result from their interactions. Get Tickets
The Desert Theatreworks presents Some Enchanted Evening from Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 17 at the Indio Performing Arts Center. The legendary musical theater duo Rodgers and Hammerstein provide the inspiration for this intimate night of beautiful music in a sparkling song and dance tribute. You’ll hear more than 30 tunes including numbers from Carousel, The King and I, Oklahoma, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Cinderella and more. Get Tickets
CVRep presents White, by James Ijames, through February 17 at CVRep at The Atrium in Rancho Mirage. Gus is an artist. Vanessa is an actress. Gus wants to be presented in a major exhibition for artists of color, so he hires Vanessa to perform as Balkonaé Townsend, a brash and political artist that will fit the museum’s desire for “new voices.” Everything is great, until Balkonaé takes over and Gus has to deal with the mess he’s made. This play spins out of control as it explores issues of race, gender, sexuality, and art. Get tickets
Our theatre reviewer Stephen Radosh describes White as "a dark comedy which is both laugh-out-loud funny and has much to say about the act of artistic creation, the many forms that racism and prejudice can take, as well as questions of identity and how we perceive ourselves…" Read the full review here.
Modernism Week Starts Next Week: Feb 14–24
The ultimate celebration of midcentury architecture, design, and culture is Modernism Week and it's almost here! The mission of Modernism Week is to celebrate and foster appreciation of midcentury architecture and design, as well as contemporary thinking in these fields, by encouraging education, preservation and sustainable modern living as represented in Palm Springs. Follow our link for more information on the multitude of events that make up Modernism Week: More info