Fashion definitely collided with art at the opening night of Intersect Palm Springs at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
And I wasn’t sure which was more “on display”. Some outfits were more outrageous than the artwork. It reminded me of a Steve Chase Awards event where everyone was trying to outdo each other with the latest Mr. Turk style.
But the show was grand in scale and in substance with much to see and buy.
Also sharing the convention center space: The National Gay Pilots Association. We welcome them to Greater Palm Springs this weekend, along with Tour de Palm Springs. I’m taking a quick break with my fellow Vacayans – over 30 strong from Palm Springs alone – as we sail on the 5th anniversary Caribbean cruise. I’ll be reporting from the high seas Monday!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs,
For the latest, follow our socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065 and listen to KGAY Palm Springs wherever you may be!
#ILoveGayPalmSprings #ILoveGayCatCity #ILoveGayTravel #ILoveGay #SayKGAY (and win!)
Visitor Map & Guide Spring Edition is Here!
The Spring 2023 edition of our Gay Desert Guide Visitor Map & Guide (great for locals too!) is hot off the presses and distributed about town for your perusal! 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].
Intersect Palm Springs Art & Design Fair
The second edition of Intersect Palm Springs returns to Palm Springs, open to the public from Friday, February 10 through Sunday, February 12. Welcoming a dynamic mix of contemporary and modern art and design galleries and a full slate of special programming, Intersect Palm Springs will present special exhibitions and talks taking place throughout the run of the Fair, as well as off-site events in collaboration with regional arts organizations in the Coachella Valley. Get tickets
Join KGAY’s John Taylor Live at Toucans Tiki Lounge
KGAY Morning Show host John Taylor will be making a live appearance this Saturday, February 11 from 3–5 pm at Toucans Tiki Lounge! Join us for drink specials and amazing giveaways, including a chance to win tickets to see Shania Twain at Acrisure Arena, and a special happy hour drag performance by Tommi Rose and Mareeka. Toucans is celebrating 20+ years in Palm Springs & is the destination for drag performances 5 nights a week. Nobody turns it out like Toucans! More info
Superbowl Sunday
On Superbowl Sunday, February 12, there are plenty of options to join in the company of fellow fans! Streetbar presents a Tailgate Party with lots of food served around 3 pm and special bloody marys starting at 10 am. Kick-off is at 3:30 pm on their 6 large screens. More info. There will also be big-game watch parties at Reforma, Lulu California Bistro, AMP Sports Lounge, Dick’s Bar, The Roost Lounge, and the 360 Sports locations at each of the Agua Caliente Casinos in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Cathedral City!
Gay Pilots’ Winter Warm-Up
The National Gay Pilots Association’s Palm Springs Winter Warm-Up takes place Thursday through Sunday, February 9–12 at the Renaissance Palm Springs. They’ve recently announced a new Executive Director, Justin Ellixson-Andrews, and we welcome him and everyone with the NPGA to the desert for this “warm-up!” The weekend is jam-packed with aviation speakers, an aircraft static display, and the NGPA Palm Springs Dinner Gala. More info
25th Annual Tour de Palm Springs
This year’s Tour de Palm Springs is on Saturday, February 11 from 6 am–3 pm, taking off (and finishing) in downtown Palm Springs—so keep an eye out for road and lane closures in the area. Honoring Military, First Responders, and Veterans, the Tour de Palm Springs is one of the largest cycling charity events of its kind in America. Every year 6,000 to 10,000 cyclists from 46 different states and 4 countries participate. Since 1998, and with the help of 2,000 volunteers, the Tour de Palm Springs has distributed nearly $4,000,000.00 to over 150 local nonprofit organizations. More info
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
Desert Theatreworks presents Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap from February 10–March 5. This thrilling murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time returns to Desert TheatreWorks with a signature twist. As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a stately countryside guesthouse with a killer in their midst! Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim? Can you solve the mystery before another “mouse” succumbs to the trap? Join in for suspenseful fun courtesy of the longest-running play in history. Get tickets
Valentine’s Day Weekend: Moulin Rouge!
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents four Valentine’s Day Weekend special screenings of Moulin Rouge! on Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11 at 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm each night. Director Baz Luhrman’s spectacular jukebox musical dazzles on the big screen, with captivating performances by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as star-crossed lovers in the infamously decadent Moulin Rouge nightclub of turn-of-the-century Paris. Get tickets
Malcolm Myers in Paris Gallery Show
Rubine Red Gallery presents Malcolm Myers in Paris at Atelier 17, 1951-52, a new exhibit running February 10–27 with an Opening Reception on Saturday, February 11 from 5–8 pm. This retrospective features paintings, etchings and intaglio works by famous American printmaker and painter Malcolm H. Myers during the time he spent in Paris, France in 1951-52. There he worked alongside peers including Joan Miró and experimented with new and novel techniques such as incorporating stencils and even spray paint into the centuries–old medium of etching and intaglio. His time there helped cement his legacy as a true American Great in the art of Printmaking. More info
Electricity Encore Benefit
The Bent presents Electricity in an Encore Benefit at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11 at 7 pm. For two special performances only, the longest running play in Palm Springs returns for a final encore before heading to an Off-Broadway run to benefit the brand new LGBTQ+ theater The Bent and The Palm Springs Cultural Center, its new home. If you’ve never seen this multi-award winning play that has been receiving rave reviews for 6 years or want to see it again (like many have) this is your final chance without needing to buy a plane ticket to NYC! Get tickets
Black History Expressions of Color and Brilliance
The Desert Art Center invites you to attend Black History Expressions of Color and Brilliance from Friday through Sunday, February 10–12. Celebrate Black History Month with this exhibit, curated by Tysen Knight, which explores the Art of three African American Artists from the Coachella Valley on their journey of self-expression, while seeking to reach out, touch, communicate and bring people together with their Art. Featured artists are Denny Pascasio, Brittney S. Price, and Tysen Knight. More info
LGBTQ+ Rainbow Picnic
Desert Recreation District, The Center Coachella, SAGA, and local GA groups of CVUSD schools invite all LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Questioning and Allies) to come for a LGBTQ+ Rainbow Picnic on Saturday, February 11 from 3–6 pm at Bagdouma Park Community Center in Coachella. Join in and bring a blanket! More info
February at the McCallum
The McCallum Theatre presents The Piano Guys on Friday and Saturday, February 10 & 11, then Where the Wild Things Live/National Geographic with Vincent J Musi on Sunday, February 12. Coming up in February: Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel (2/13), Gordon Goodwins Big Phat Band (2/15), Malevo (2/16), My Fair Lady (2/17–19), Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal (2/21), Steve Tyrell (2/22), Beginnings: A Celebration of the Music of Chicago (2/23), On Your Feet! (2/24–26), MNOZIL Brass (2/27), and Our Planet Live in Concert (2/28). Get tickets
Penn & Teller at The Show
The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Rancho Mirage presents Penn & Teller on Friday, February 10 at 8 pm. From humble beginnings busking on the streets of Philadelphia to acclaimed sold–out runs on Broadway to the longest running and one of the most-beloved resident headline acts in Las Vegas history, magic’s legendary duo continues to defy labels—and at times physics and good taste — by redefining the genre of magic and inventing their own very distinct niche in comedy. Get tickets
On Saturday, February 11 at 8 pm, Air Supply takes the stage at The Show. From the early 80’s on, the trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell’s simple yet majestic songs created a unique sound that would forever be known as Air Supply. Get tickets
Lunar Festival at the River
The Rancho Mirage Cultural Commission presents the Lunar Festival at The River – The Year of the Rabbit on Saturday, February 11 from 11 am–5 pm. The River and the Rancho Mirage Cultural Commission have teamed up with Panana Events to put on this cultural event honoring the Year of the Rabbit. Festivities will include live music, vendors, lion dancers, children’s craft station, and more celebrating Asian arts and culture and is free to the public. Come and celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity! More info
Journey Captured at The Gardens
Agua Caliente Casinos present The Gardens 25th Annual Concert Series on Saturday, February 11 from 4:30–7:30 pm with a concert by tribute band Journey Captured, benefiting Voices for Children. For 25 years, The Gardens on El Paseo has brought together the Coachella Valley community to support local non-profits, musicians, and organizations. Reserve your tickets now and wine down on the Center Lawn, Saturday evenings to support your community. Upcoming concerts include: Lisa Lynn & The Broken Hallelujahs (2/18), Eevan Tré and The Show (2/25), Slim Man (3/4), and John Stanley King Band (3/11). Get tickets
Dr. George’s Charity Car Show
The Palm Springs Cruisin’ Association and the Desert Cancer Foundation present the Dr George’s Charity Car Show on Saturday, February 11 from 9 am–3 pm at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. There will be a display of trucks, cars, and motorcycles from all over the U.S., with silent auction, raffle, and entertain, plus activities for kids. There will be incredible giveaway to raise money for Desert Cancer Foundation: on the day of the car show, an opportunity draw will be held to win a NEW 2023 Z51 Corvette Stingray Convertible. More info
“It’s All About Love”
Coachella Valley Classical Voices (CVCV) is a newly formed troupe of professionally trained singers specializing in Opera and Broadway and they are giving a free debut performance, “It’s All About Love,” at Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert on Sunday, February 12 from 3–4:15 pm. The artists are Andrew Bird, Jenne Carey, Michelle Fiore, Barbara Kerr, Paul Kowal, Justin Marsh, Doug Nagel, Ana Rangel Ortiz, Christian Quevedo, and pianist Kurt Jordan. Selections include West Side Story, The Pearl Fishers, On The Town, La Traviata, Anything Goes, and more. More info
Eligible Bachelors Brunch
Enjoy a delicious brunch in a spectacular setting at the Eligible Bachelors Brunch on Sunday, February 12 from 11:30 am–1 pm, where you will meet several different single gay guys over brunch at Escena Golf Club Grill Restaurant. This is a “progressive” meal where you “eat and meet” local single gay men, kind of like SLOW speed dating over brunch. All attendees must be 1) local residents or seasonal, 2) looking to meet someone for dating or a relationship, and 3) open to conversing with new people. Attendees will rotate to meet 10-12 new guys. This was a sell-out hit when they last did it a few years ago! Get tickets
Coachella Valley Invitational Soccer Competition
The Coachella Valley Invitational Soccer Competition is underway at the Empire Polo Club, through February 18. This event welcomes the best clubs in MLS (and their fans!) for a three-week competition to secure roster spots, build momentum, and unofficially officially launch the 2023 MLS season. Get tickets
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LOOKING AHEAD
Red Dress/Dress Red Tickets on Sale Tuesday, February 14
The biggest party in Palm Springs, Red Dress/Dress Red, is a night of community, fun, and fantasy—and tickets go on sale on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday February 14 at 9 am! Take note because this one ALWAYS sells out fast. Imagine the best Halloween and Mardi Gras parties you’ve ever attended; combine them together beneath the spectacular mountains of the Coachella Valley, dress it all in red, and you have a sliver of the living fantasy that is Red Dress/Dress Red, which takes place Saturday, March 18 at 8 pm. Your ticket includes bites and drinks! More info
Sexy Strong Words – Valentines Edition
Among Friends presents Sexy Strong Words – Valentines Edition on Monday, February 13 at 7 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. This time Strong Words is becoming Stinky Words, stories of the worst love stories ever. Six storytellers will give true accounts of some of their own terrible experiences. This will be a RAW night – dirty and telling it like it is (WARNING- NOT FOR THE EASILY OFFENDED). Joining storyteller extraordinaire and host Larry Dean Harris will be the ever blunt, filthy mouth yet totally funny Roy Cruz, the returning muse and laugh maker Jeff Mills, ever hilarious Elaine Gail, and singer-songwriter Gregory Douglass, plus a mystery guest. Eddi Kreg and the Among Friends will be there to host the cocktail party (starts at 6:30 pm) and festivities. Get tickets
Human Rights Commission Annual Community Service Awards
The City of Palm Springs Human Rights Commission will present its annual Community Service Awards on Monday, February 13 at 5:30 pm in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The awards will be presented to six individuals and one organization for outstanding contributions promoting and protecting human rights, social progress, better standards of life, and equality for all individuals, and the public is invited to attend the free virtual ceremony, honoring: Bettye Cotton, Tori St. John, Dan Gore, PFLAG Palm Springs/Desert Communities, Jase Nagaia, Brett Klein, and Gary Moline. More info
A Victor/Victoria Valentine
Marc Huestis and the Palm Springs Cultural Center present A Victor/Victoria Valentine – a loving tribute to Academy Award® Nominee Lesley Ann Warren Live In-Person on Tuesday, February 14 at 7 pm. The evening of romance includes a live interview with enchanting Lesley Ann Warren, queried by the legendary Bruce Vilanch. She will discuss her remarkable career–from her breakout performance in 1965’s Cinderella, to her Oscar nominated portrayal of dumb blonde Norma Cassady in Blake Edwards’1982 gender bender Victor/Victoria. Also featured in this glittering gala are a clip valentine of Ms. Warren’s TV and screen gems, plus a tribute performance by “le Jazz Hot” Ethylina Canne. This lovely night will be capped by a free screening of Victor/Victoria. Get tickets
Modernism Week Kickoff
Modernism Week will celebrate CAMP (Community and Meeting Place) Kick Off with a Remote Broadcast with KGAY’s Morning Show Host John Taylor on Thursday, February 16 from 9–11 am. (If you can’t be there in person be sure to listen to KGAY’s Remote Broadcast with John Taylor at 106.5 or on your favorite streaming platform). CAMP is the central meeting place for all things Modernism Week and it’s FREE and open to the public inside the Hyatt Palm Springs. Discover new events and activities to attend, dine and sip at Cheeky’s To-Go, shop at the Destination PSP store, meet authors at book signings, explore design elements for your home, and relax and commune with fellow modernists. If Palm Springs is the epicenter of modernism, CAMP is the epicenter of Modernism Week! CAMP will be open daily 9am–5pm during Modernism Week February 16–26. More info
Modernism Week’s annual 11-day festival will feature more than 350 events including the Palm Springs Modernism Show, tours of iconic homes in more than 24 neighborhoods, the Palm Desert Signature Home Tour and the Palm Springs Signature Home Tour on both weekends. Also offered are architectural walking, biking and double-decker bus tours, tours of the historic Annenberg Estate at Sunnylands, a classic car show, a vintage trailer show, a golf tournament, garden tours, nightly parties, and a special series of compelling and informative talks. All events are open to the public, and many events are free or low cost Get tickets.
On the Air at KGAY 106.5
Win Tickets to the Riverside County Fair & Date Festival!
KGAY 106.5 has your chance to WIN tickets to the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, running February 17–26 presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Join KGAY Morning Show host John Taylor on Saturday, February 18 from 11 am–1 pm, for OUT AT THE FAIR! Plus, there will be Drag Bingo, live performances all day, the National Date Pageant, a Glam Show and the OutAt ‘After Dark’ all-ages dance party! Enter to win on the KGAY 106.5 Contest Page
KGAY 106.5 has your tickets to WIN tickets to a Modernism Week Lecture: “Don’t Worry Darling” – Palm Springs Retro Style on Saturday, February 25 at 2 pm at the Annenberg Theater. Enter to win on the KGAY 106.5 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 is back and gayer than ever! 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 will bring 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
- Join KGAY’s John Taylor for a Live Appearance from Toucans Tiki Lounge
Sat. Feb 11 from 3–5 pm - Intersect Palm Springs Art and Design Fair
Feb 9–12 at the Palm Springs Convention Center - Billy Stritch: Cy Coleman Revisited
Fri & Sat Feb 10 & 11 at The Purple Room Supper Club - The Mousetrap presented by Desert Theatreworks
Feb 10–Mar 5 - Modernism Week
Feb 16–26, throughout Palm Springs - CAMP Kick-Off with a Live Appearance by KGAY’s John Taylor
Thu. Feb 16 from 9–11 am at Hyatt Palm Springs - Malevo at the McCallum Theatre
Thu. Feb 16 at 7 pm - Christopher Kennedy’s Midcentury Home Tours
Sat. & Sun., Feb 18 & 19 in Indian Canyons and Vista Las Palmas - Once presented by CVRep
Feb 21–Mar 5 - International Bear Convergence (IBC)
Feb 23–27 at Hotel Zoso - Peaches & Heklina’s High School Reunion
Sat. Feb 25 at 7 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center - Desert WineFest
Sat. & Sun., Feb 25 & 26 at Palm Desert Civic Center Park - 7th Annual Cathedral City LGBT Days
Mar 3–5 in downtown Cathedral City - World Pride Mardi Gras Fashion Show
Sat. Mar 4 from 6:30–9:30 pm at Palm Springs Art Museum - Faux Fur Ball benefiting Palm Springs Animal Shelter
Sat. Apr 1 from 6–9 pm at the Palm Springs Air Museum - John Mayer Solo
Thu. Apr 6 at 8 pm at Acrisure Arena
Welcome New Partners!
Toucans Tiki Lounge in Palm Springs hosts the city’s longest continuously running drag show, Tommi Rose & The Playgirls, as well as weekly theme nights, ranging from Latin Fever Monday, Neon Thursday and Dirty Pop Saturday. KGAY’s John Taylor will be making a live appearance this Saturday, February 11 from 3–5 pm! The club also brings in top tier cabaret and performance talent as part of Toucans Live on Stage. Learn more
Casa Blanca Mexican Food and Seafood is proud to open their 4th location in Palm Springs, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. With 18 years in the Coachella Valley, they are known for their delicious chile verde, chile colorado, carnitas, mojarra, fajitas and much more. The owner, Mr. De leon, always gives five-star customer service. They have a full bar and all day Tuesday & Thursday, margaritas are only $4.50! Learn more
- It’s Here. It’s Queer. A Guide to LGBTQ-Friendly Spots in Palm Springs
- Intersect Palm Springs Hosts an Artistic Exploration of the Plight of the Joshua Tree
- Where to Dine Alfresco in Palm Springs
- Modernism Week Offers Events and Activities at CAMP in Downtown Palm Springs
- The Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival Celebrates 75 years—and Its First Iteration Since 2020
Locally owned & locally grown, Kitchen 86 is a fantastic, welcoming spot to gather and enjoy an eclectic menu of modern, curated small plate continental cuisine. Using local, organic ingredients, offerings include a tableside cheese wheel pasta, house-made curry, ramens, wood-fired pizzas, plenty of entree selections, and shareable small plates. You can save big on those small plates with our HOT DEAL: Save 40% when you get a $50 gift card for just $30! Get Your Deal
We also have Hot Deals at V Wine Lounge, The Purple Room, Il Giardino, Grand Central, Hunters Nightclub, Giuseppe’s Pizzeria, Monster Shakes, Desert Mischief, Jolene’s, Rick’s, Lulu California Bistro, Thai Smile, Destination PSP, AMP Sports Lounge, Trevor Wayne Pop Art 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)