Happy 10th anniversary to LULU! While many restaurants are closed for a summer break, Jerry Keller and his crew are holding down the proverbial food fort with a weekend celebration which also benefits DAP Health.
Those cooler temps this week were a welcome relief and a harbinger of things to come! Our Fall season is right around the corner and we’re preparing for whatever mother nature offers up.
Adjustments are being made to “live events” planned for safety sake as COVID-19 continues to flare up. Cinema Diverse will be hybrid in person and streaming this year. Details shortly. Purple Room is modifying its opening — set for August 31st — with delayed weekend show performances giving way to live jazz and blues and casual dining.
Be sure to listen to KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs this weekend as the soundtrack to your drive, your pool party or your house party! We now rebroadcast the Retro Lunch starting at 11 AM each Sunday too!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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To celebrate 10 years of delicious food, generous cocktails, and all around fun, Lulu California Bistro is saying “thank you” by making a gift of $10,000 to DAP Health. Through their support of the annual Dining Out for Life and many other contributions over the years, Lulu and Acqua California Bistros have given more than $400,000 to DAP Health. You can join Lulu in giving this weekend: for your gift of $100 to DAP Health on August 21 & 22, Lulu will give YOU a $15 gift card to party at Lulu. [Give here]. Finally, to make their birthday just a little more festive, Lulu will also serve free cotton candy to every table this weekend!
Splash House Weekend Two
Splash House is back, taking place across 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 Two performances include 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
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 21, the evening’s movie musical is “West Side Story,” the 1961 modern-day (and yet today, retro) musical re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, starring Natalie Wood. At 6:00 p.m., come for social hour in the VIP Lounge upstairs, with film at 7:00 p.m. with Rosemary Galore and songleaders from the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus hosting an evening filled with film, fun, and song. Continues with a different film every Saturday through September 11. Get tickets
Summer Concert Series: Leanna and The Jazz Collective
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents the 1st Annual Summer Concert Series, featuring Leanna & The Jazz Collective on Friday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. Leanna brings to the stage straight ahead Jazz, spiced with a bit of Bossa Nova & Latin Jazz, with some of the top jazz musicians in Southern California. Come in your Jazz finest and if you get the optional upgrade, enjoy a VIP Cocktail Reception upstairs at 6:00 p.m. where you can mix and mingle with your fellow Jazz enthusiasts. Pre-sale drink special available. Get tickets
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, “Rudemption Lip Sync Smackdown,” which caused Dante to declare: “Hold on to your fascinators because tonight’s episode is one of the best in Drag Race herstory! The “game within a game” is…a fabulous twist, making for a night of all great lip syncs.” Read it!
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Big Bear Romp
Bears, cubs and a diverse group of men convene for an amazing 4 days in Big Bear from Thursday, August 19 through Sunday, August 22 for the Big Bear ROMP at Wolf Creek Resort. It’s a weekend of fun and adventure, featuring mixers, dances, special events & pool parties. All main events will be outdoors, held in large venues exclusive to Big Bear ROMP attendees. Events include a live comedy show with Shawn Pelofsky, ROMP in the Dark with your leather and gear, pool party with live DJ and campy games hosted by Babette Schwartz, Wild in the Woods dance event, even Bingo Brunch on Sunday! Get tickets
Outfest LA 2021
Celebrating its 39th anniversary, the 2021 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival is taking place now and wraps up Sunday, August 22 for a total of ten days of 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. The 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
Kill Hollywood Concert Live at 420 Bank
Rocker Cari Cartmill returns with her band Kill Hollywood at Four Twenty Bank & Lounge on Saturday, August 21 from 8:00–9:00 p.m. Join Cari as she performs her original songs & rocks The Bank back into 2021 & let’s show Palm Springs how our community unifies & uplifts everyone! Also performing: Empty Seat opens the evening at 7:00 p.m. More info
LOOKING AHEAD
Registration Opens Monday for Le Dîner en Blanc
On Monday, August 23 the Palm Springs Premiere of Le Dîner en Blanc, the popular Parisian-style pop-up picnic characterized by its famous all-white dress code, will open registration for the internationally-acclaimed event, taking place Saturday evening, October 9. As per the usual protocols for the event, the exact location of the event is only revealed a few hours before the event, and only to registered guests. More info
Next Week: Oscar’s Last Laugh Wednesday Feat. Zach Noe Towers
Comedy returns to Oscar’s Cafe & Bar for Last Laugh Wednesday on August 25 at 7:00 p.m. Hosted by Max Mitchell, the evening’s headliner is Zach Noe Towers, One of Time Out Magazine’s 2018 Comedians to Watch. He also hosts E!’s Dating: No Filter and was selected as one of the New Faces of Comedy at the prestigious Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. Also performing: Mary Kennedy, of Showtime’s Funny Women of A Certain Age, and Joe Dungan, veteran performer with four appearances in The World Series of Comedy. Get tickets
Thursday: National Dog Day Fundraiser
Animal Samaritans present DOGust Dining Fundraiser at the Kimpton Rowan Hotel’s “Juniper Table” restaurant all day on Thursday, August 26 to commemorate National Dog Day. Dine at Juniper Table anytime from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. that day, and Kimpton Rowan will donate 10% of the proceeds to Animal Samaritans’ life-saving programs! More info
Palm Springs Pride Call for Artists & Parade Entries
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].
Palm Springs Pride is also currently taking applications for parade entries, for the return of the traditional parade down Palm Canyon Drive on Sunday, November 7 from 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. The deadline for Early Bird Registration is Wednesday, September 1. Visit the Palm Springs Pride site [here] and click on “Participate.”
Cat City Drag Race Accepting Applications
The date is set for the return of the Cat City Drag Race! The competition will take place October 4 through November 1 along the “111 Catwalk” at Trunks, AMP Sports Lounge, The Runway, The Barracks, and One Eleven Bar. Which of 10 queens Will Survive the Shadiness? Could be you! Applications are now being accepted, and the application period ends when they have received 20 entries, or on September 24, whichever comes first. Download an application on their website [here].
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.
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]
- Lucie Arnaz Uncovers Celebrity Interviews Done by Her Mom, Lucille Ball
- California Desert Chorale Summer Auditions: Aug 30, 2021
- Mr. Monopoly to Bring the World’s Most Popular Board Game to Palm Springs
- DAP Health: Anthony Velasco Talks About Pronouns
- 2021 BNP Paribas Open Expands Men’s Event to Two Weeks
The Roost Lounge offers a beautiful, comfortable place with lots of atmosphere for all their patrons “to roost” and talk with friends and to meet other friendly folks. There is something that goes on pretty much every night at The Roost: A video disc jockey on Sundays and Thursdays, karaoke on Tuesdays and live singing on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Roost has great prices, affordable to all, and with this HOT DEAL, you save even more: get a $20 gift card for just $12. That’s 40% off! Get Your Deal