Gay Desert Guide Weekend: Aug. 7–9, 2020 - Gay Desert Guide Palm Springs

I’m looking forward to our first Speed Dating for Men of All Ages on Saturday night. Just do it! I am! Can you think of a better way to spend a quarantined Saturday evening? Then Sunday, you can check out Chill Bar as it reopens with a series of pop-up Kitchen Takeovers then their own menu. Owner Rob Gieseke was on our #ILoveGayPalmSprings podcast this week. He’s put in place many safety measures that I hope will be a model for others. What will the future hold for Arenas and downtown Palm Springs? We talk about it on the podcast.

What will happen with Palm Springs Pride? We’re awaiting word next week, so stay close to our social media channels and watch for our blog posts for the latest.

Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide

I Love Gay Palm Springs Podcast – Episode 57

Hosts John Taylor and comedian Shann Carr are joined by Brad Fuhr of GayDesertGuide.com, Jimmy Boegle of CVIndependent.com, Lex Ortega of TheCenterPS.org, Rob Giesecke of ChillBarPalmSprings.com and Jeff Hocker of HockerProductions.com as we try to make the most of the new normal in our arid little hamlet. (well, as normal as we can be!) [Listen] or [Watch]

**Use discount code GDG10 to save 10% when you order from our podcast sponsor Out & About CBD.**

Men’s Speed Dating for All Ages

The Fun & Games Dept of Gay Desert Guide presents Speed Dating for Men of All Ages, hosted by Shann Carr, on Saturday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. Speed dating has never been more fun! We will make introductions, and you go on several short one-on-one dates (each lasting 5-6 minutes) then mingle with everyone with a fun game and have real conversation about dating. This event is exclusively for Gay men of ALL Ages (see our other speed dating events for other ages and themes). You could end up with a date, a friend or a business connection! Get tickets

Virtual Gay Graves Tour

On Sunday, August 9 at 11:00 a.m., a virtual version of The Gay Graves Tour will visit the famous and not-so-famous LGBTQ residents of NYC’s Green-Wood Cemetery. Its history goes back almost 200 years as the final resting place for many illustrious figures, including Leonard Bernstein, Fred Ebb, Paul Jabara, Dr. Richard Isay, the Tiffany family, and many more. Get tickets

Next Week: Big Gay Scavenger Hunt

The Fun & Games Dept of Gay Desert Guide presents Shann Carr’s Big Gay Scavenger Hunt on Tuesday, August 11 at 7:00 p.m. Let’s have some fun at home! Join us for this virtual scavenger hunt where everything you need to win is within your home or apartment. Rolls of toilet paper, potted flowers, photo albums, cleaning products and more are all in play for a hilarious night of fun and conversations! Once we post an item you will have 15 seconds to find it. Each item found will result in points for prizes! As with all our virtual events, all you need is a device with a camera and microphone. No need to download Zoom but it does help.
Use Code GDG50 for 50% off the Ticket Price! Get tickets

KGAY 106.5 Virtual Summer Concert Series – Divas on the Dance Floor

Gay Desert Guide is pleased to be a Media Sponsor of KGAY’s 106.5 Virtual Summer Concert Series. This virtual concert series is designed to keep you entertained and safe this summer, while benefiting our local artists. The series is hosted by Ben Patrick Johnson and Shann Carr. This Sunday, August 9 at 5:00 p.m. the featured artist is Anita Treadmill Presents Divas on the Dance Floor!

Future performances include: Tommy Dodson on Aug 16, Eve on Aug 23, Brian Scott on Aug 30, Emily West on Sept 6, Bill Lohnes on Sept 13, Kristine W on Sept 20, and a free concert on Saturday, Aug 15 with special guest Keisha D. Get tickets

Shop for a Cause on Friday, August 7

You can support local retailers and the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs at the same time on Friday, August 7 from 3:00–8:00 p.m. Participating retailers will donate a percentage of retail sales to the Boys & Girls Club for desperately needed funds to help general operations as well as additional costs incurred for safety protocols. Most retailers offer curbside pickup, and participants include: Christopher Kennedy, Destination PSP, Just Fabulous, Peepa’s, PS212, and many more! Check our link for [more info]

National Farmers Market Week

August 2–8 is National Farmers Market Week, and even amidst a global pandemic they continue to play a pivotal role in providing goods to consumers in their communities. Farmers Markets contribute about $9 billion to the U.S. economy every year! [Learn more]. Be sure to visit the Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market, Saturdays from 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at the Palm Springs Pavilion. More info

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Fun & Games with Shann Carr

The Fun & Games Dept of Gay Desert Guide, along with TheMenEvent.com, has a whole month of virtual events hosted by Shann Carr, from Trivia and Game Nights on Tuesdays to Speed Dating Saturdays where you could meet a date, a friend, or a business connection!

Speed Dating Events:

Among Friends Virtual Happy Hour

Join Among Friends for their ongoing Thursday “Kickoff to the Weekend” Happy Hours, on Zoom from 5:00–6:30 p.m. every week. Come for the laughs, games and fun, and if you don’t want to be on cam, you don’t have to, you can still attend. And hey, no Uber needed! More info

He Loves & She Loves: Broadway’s Golden Era

CVRep’s Theatre Thursdays presents He Loves & She Loves – An Evening of Favorite Love Songs from the Golden Age of Broadway on Thursday, August 6 at 6:00 p.m. Join Brent & Erika Schindele for a delightful evening of some of their favorite songs, from “Boy Meets Girl”, through “I do, I do!” to “And Then There Were Three.” Brent and Erika’s love story began when they met during a production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical play Merrily We Roll Along and their lives have continued to be filed with music. Free event, registration required. More info

Drive-In Experience at Palm Springs Cultural Center

The Palm Springs Cultural Center has turned their parking lot into a temporary Drive-In Experience, complete with concessions like popcorn and frozen treats and radio-tuned sound! Films for the weekend of Aug 7–9 : American Graffiti and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. And looking ahead to the weekend of Aug. 14–16: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Cabaret & Chicago Double Feature, and Pitch Perfect. Get tickets

Chill Bar Reopening

On Sunday, August 9, Chill Bar Palm Springs reopens with a brand new kitchen, in which guest chefs will do a “takeover” during the day from noon to 6:00 p.m., and then they will serve elevated California fare from 6:00 p.m. to closing. More info

VirtuREAL Wine Tasting with Bouschet

The Bouschet crew invites you to join them on Saturday, August 8 at 2:00 p.m. for a “VirtuREAL” Zoom Online Wine Tasting with Mariah Cajala of Epic Wines, presenting: 2019 Peju Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 Republic of Pink Rose, 2018 Banshee Pinot Noir, and 2016 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon. Order online and pickup curbside or receive delivery from Dennis the “Wine Bandit.” Seating is not available in PS AIR BAR this week due to current health restrictions. More info

State Route 60 Weekend Closure

A full closure of Westbound State Route 60 between Gilman Springs Road in Moreno Valley and Route 60’s interchage with Interstate 10 at Beaumont will take place from Friday, August 7 at 9:00 p.m. through Monday, August 10 at 6:00 a.m. One eastbound lane will be closed nightly from 9:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. More info

NEXT WEEK

Virtual Events at The Center

Looking for connection in this time of self-isolation? The LGBT 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 the programs they are hosting:

Social Caring in the Face of Quarantine with Alexis Ortega – Mondays at 11:00 a.m.

Zumba for Beginners with Shaun Samaro – Mondays at 10:00 a.m.

Knit Together with Doug Morris – Mondays & Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m.

Managing Emotions During a Pandemic with Jill Hingston, Ph.D – Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m.

Dating and Sex in the Age of COVID with Arlen Keith Leight LCSW, Ph.D – Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m.

Conversational Spanish – Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.

Virtual Beginner Tap with Keith Mottola – Tuesdays at 5:00 p.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.

LGBTQ+ Youth Virtual Hangout with Miguel Navarro – Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m.

Seated Wellness with Lynn Simonson – Thursdays at 10:00 a.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.

Who Cares: Caregiver Support Group with Perry Wiggins – Fridays at 3:00 p.m.

Full list of The Center’s Zoom programs [here]

LOOKING AHEAD

Outbook Book Club Returns Sept. 2

The Palm Springs Cultural Center is excited to announce the return of their LGBTQ monthly book club OUTBOOK, starting Wednesday, September 2 from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm on Zoom. Connect with your fellow bibliophiles the first Wednesday of every month, starting with “There Will Be No Miracles Here,” by Casey Gerald. Subsequent selections include: “The Crime Writer” by Jill Dawson (Oct. 7), “Secret Historian: The Life and Times of Samuel Steward, Professor, Tattoo Artist, and Sexual Renegade” by Justin Spring (Nov. 4), and “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong (Dec. 2). More info

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