August is that month we tolerate, knowing that a full fall lineup of fun is just ahead. But it’s no slouch when it comes to enjoying the shimmer of a refreshing pool with cocktail in hand. I picture Nelda Linsk in that famous photo “Poolside Gossip” chatting with her bestie, or a resort pool filled with tanned bodies. So fast forward to this weekend and Splash House. While there is no LGBTQ component to the pool parties, it does bring thousands of millennials to our oasis for some gender fluid fun.
We’ve found plenty of ways to avoid the summer sun this weekend – from Udo Kier’s new movie “Swan Song” to the waning days of under-recognized American modernist painter who worked in Cathedral City at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Listen each Monday & Friday mornings to KGAY 106.5 or online at KGAYPalmSprings.com when I chat with morning host John Taylor. Or follow us on your favorite social channel to stay updated.
We’re making plans for the Fall when cooler temps will be the norm and hopefully the variant will be at bay so we can enjoy it.
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Celebrating its 39th anniversary, the 2021 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival is taking place Friday, August 13–Sunday, August 22 for ten days of not to be missed world-class films, panels, and events celebrating the queer experience. The festival returns with outdoor events, indoor screenings for vaccinated attendees, and is available via streaming for those who wish to experience the festival from their own home. Both the community and creators have opportunities to participate in various events, workshops, masterclasses, and panels, to provide networking opportunities and filmmaker development. Opening Night Gala features “Everyone’s Talking about Jamie,” and Closing Night Gala features “Fanny: The Right to Rock,” including a performance from the film’s subject, all-female rock pioneer band Fanny. More info
Splash House Weekend One
Splash House is back, taking place across the next two weekends, Aug.13–15 and Aug. 20–22, at the Renaissance Hotel, Margaritaville Resort and Saguaro Palm Springs. Each resort is a full takeover hosting a poolside stage, rooms, and balconies that are all part of the fun. Weekend one features Dom Dolla, Get Real, Mark Night and more, and Weekend Two features Bob Moses, Camelphat, Gorgon City and more! After-hours programming at the Palm Springs Air Museum will also return. Following the requirements set forth by the City of Palm Springs, all attendees will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of full vaccination. Get tickets
Udo Kier in “Swan Song” Screening this Weekend
Film star and Palm Springs local Udo Kier plays an aging hairdresser who escapes his nursing home to embark on an odyssey across his small town to style a dead woman’s hair for her funeral in “Swan Song,” playing at Mary Pickford Theatre [Get tickets] and the Palm Springs Cultural Center [Get tickets]. Watch Kier rediscover his sparkle and share the screen with Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans, Michael Urie, and more. View trailer:
Gay Days Anaheim – Get Your Discount Now
On September 17–19, Gay Days Anaheim returns to the Disney parks and these are the final days they are able to offer guests the opportunity to stay at the Disney property hotels with a discount better than any rate you’ll find elsewhere (Deadline for the discount is Monday, August 16). Also be sure to plan to have proof of vaccination and mask-wearing at all indoor spaces within the parks as well as at Gay Days shows and parties, including shows with Chita Rivera, Audra McDonald, Jackie Cox, Nina West Jan Sport and the Kingdom dance party. More info
Saturday Summerific Sing-A-Long: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
The Palm Springs Cultural Center and The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus present The All Summer Long Snazzy Sassy Songsational Summerific Sing-A-Long. This week, on Saturday, August 14, the evening’s movie musical is “Bohemian Rhapsody,” starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. At 6:00 p.m., come for social hour in the VIP Lounge upstairs, to mingle with your fellow movie musical enthusiasts and enjoy cocktails, mocktails & soda; spontaneous singing encouraged! Dress for the songsational occasion, and at 7:00 p.m. join host Rosemary Galore and songleaders from the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus for an evening filled with film, fun, and song. The Summerific Sing-A-Long series is a joint fundraiser for Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus and Palm Springs Cultural Center and continues with a different film every Saturday through September 11. Get tickets
LGBTQ San Francisco, The Century Before Stonewall
Gay Desert Guide’s Fun & Games Dept. and TheMenEvent.com present LGBTQ San Francisco, the Century Before Stonewall on Sunday, August 15 at 11:00 a.m. Come watch as author Jim Van Buskirk tells fascinating, little-known stories about San Francisco, the “gay capital of the world.” Explore 100 years of cultural, artistic and political anecdotes. Join pioneering organizations the Daughters of Bilitis, the Society for Individual Rights, and the Council on Religion and the Homosexual. Learn about arrests and raids, and visit early bars, bookstores and bathhouses. Get tickets
RuPaul Recaps by Dante: All-Stars Season 6
Our Special Drag Correspondent Dante Noto is faithfully watching and reporting on all the weekly victories and defeats in the world of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 6. Read all of Dante’s recaps back to the season premiere [here] and check out his recap of the latest episode, in which “the maxi challenge is for the queens to visit Ru’s animated World of Wonder series ‘Drag Tots.’ Each will transform herself into a magical live action character with a name, backstory, magical powers and look…” Read it!
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Hotel California: A Salute to The Eagles
The Show at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage presents Hotel California: A Salute to the Eagles on Saturday, August 14 at 8:00 p.m. For more than three decades, Hotel California has touched the hearts of fans all over the world by faithfully and accurately reproducing the Grammy Award-winning sounds of the Eagles. This dynamic, highly acclaimed show incorporates their very own world-renowned vocal harmony and authentic instrumentation, including all specialty instruments in a stage spectacle that presents an exciting showcase of the Eagles’ megahits such as “Take It Easy,” “Heartache Tonight,” and, of course, “Hotel California.” Upon arrival you will receive your assigned seats to keep everyone at a safe social distance. Get tickets
Taste of Summer Rancho Mirage: Final Days
Taste of Summer Rancho Mirage is in its final days, now through Sunday, August 15. Here’s how it works: Purchase your $10 wristband online or in person at various locations, then visit participating restaurants to enjoy their Taste of Summer offers and deals on appetizers, drinks or desserts. Not only do you benefit from the savings, the proceeds from the sale of wristbands go to help the Chamber of Commerce, the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory Foundation, and the charity you choose from the list. It’s a win/win all the way around! More info
Agnes Pelton Exhibit Final Weeks
Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist, the first major exhibition since 1995 of the under-recognized American modernist painter who worked in Cathedral City, is at the Palm Springs Art Museum through Sunday, September 5. Don’t miss your chance to see it before time runs out! Although she painted conventional landscapes and portraits, Pelton (1881–1961) is most celebrated for her abstract compositions that reflect her interest in esoteric subjects and occult philosophies, including numerology and Agni Yoga with its principal focus on fire as a guiding force. More info
Greater Palm Springs Summer Eats Pass
Want to save on the best of Greater Palm Springs restaurants with a free and easy-to-use passport that lives on your phone and doesn’t even require a special app? The Summer Eats Pass helps you save and discover new ways to savor summer as you explore the deals offered by participating restaurants, from special prix fixe menus to free items with purchase and more. And just by using it to check in, you are automatically entered in a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card! Get yours
LOOKING AHEAD
Palm Springs Pride Call for Artists
The Palm Springs Pride Festival, taking place Friday & Saturday, November 6 & 7, wants to encourage the work of self-representing artists by providing reduced cost display space at the festival. Showcase your work within the well-trafficked vendor marketplace and participate in the good vibes of Pride! To get started, fill out the interest form [here].
Mark Your Calendar: Aging Positively Conference
Reunion Project, the annual Coachella Valley conference aimed at providing practical information and inspiration for those aging with HIV, will bring together community leaders to improve the lives of older adults living with HIV for a virtual conference on Saturday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The conference will feature an HIV research panel of top experts discussing HIV and aging issues in our community, and a presentation from Keynote Speaker Andy Bell of Erasure. Free conference, registration requested. More info
Next Week: Virtual Events at The Center
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert continues to connect people, using the technology of group-meeting platform Zoom, which you can use on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Here’s just a taste of their programs:
Social Caring in the Face of Quarantine with Ortega – Mondays at 11:00 a.m.
Zumba for Beginners with Shaun Samaro – Mondays at 10:00 a.m.
Managing Emotions During a Pandemic with Jill Hingston, Ph.D – Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m.
Prostate Cancer Support Group – 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m.
Trans Tuesdays with Jill Hingston, Ph.D – Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Women’s Chat with Kim Kieler – Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Men’s Chat with Stuart Huggins – Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
LGBTQ+ Youth Virtual Hangout with Miguel Navarro – Fridays at 2:00 p.m.
Who Cares: Caregiver Support Group with Perry Wiggins – Fridays at 3:00 p.m.
Full list of The Center’s Zoom programs [here]
Welcome New Partner!
Palm Desert Center for Advanced Dentistry is here to serve the community. Everyone is welcome at their office and they love meeting patients from across the community and love the diversity of Palm Desert. You will find a talented and dedicated group of dental professionals who will deliver compassionate and personalized care tailored to your needs. Call today to begin your journey to your new smile. Learn more
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