Like the first flowers breaking through the winter snow harbingering Spring, so it is with a few events popping up in the Coachella Valley.
Case in point, hundreds of LGBT softball players in 80 teams are gathering this weekend. I was speaking with the organizers of Modernism Week confirming that the signature event is on!
And the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert reopens to indoor meetings and such on Monday!
While a little quiet this weekend, the rest of February is chocked full of events, and we’ll be reporting on them here and on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs.
For the latest, follow our socials @GayDesertGuide and @KGAY1065 and listen to KGAY Palm Springs wherever you may be!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide & KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Palm Springs Winter Classic Softball Tournament
The 30th Annual Palm Springs Winter Classic Softball Tournament runs this weekend, February 4–6 at Demuth Park and Big League Dreams Sports Park. Eighty teams and hundreds of LGBT softball players will compete and the event benefits AAP – Food Samaritans. The public is also invited to attend an opening reception Friday, February 4 from 7–9 pm at Hunter’s Nightclub. More info
Black History Month
The Palm Springs Black History Committee invites the entire community to join in a host of fun and educational events throughout February, including an Awards Gala this Saturday, February 5, an Adult Basketball Tournament (Sat. Feb 19), a Caravan through African American History in Palm Springs (Mon. Feb. 21), and a Parade and Town Fair (Sat. Feb. 26), in addition to several events scheduled for Thursday evenings at the Palm Springs Art Museum (see below in our “Looking Ahead” section). Check out the full list of Black History Committee events [here]
Throughout Black History Month, the LGBTQ-first streaming media network Revry is programming LGBTQ-first Black stories with themes from the differently-abled, LGBTQ athletes, activists and the lesbian, trans and the cis-gender lesbian community. Learn more about the planned programming and how to get a month free of Revry Premium [here].
Drag-O-Rama at the Cultural Center
The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents Drag-O-Rama with your host, Rosemary Galore, on Saturday, February 5 from 5–8 pm. Drag-O-Rama is an exploration of the history of Palm Springs, through the unique lens of the best drag queens in Southern California. Marvel at the costumes and the illusions. Be thrilled by the things you’ll learn. Watch the Duelling Marilyns strut their stuff. This is a show in a theatre, accompanied by gorgeous visuals on the big screen. A full bar is available before and after the show, and during intermission. Get tickets
Win 2 VIB Passes to International Bear Convergence!
Win 2 VIB (Very Important Bear) Passes to International Bear Convergence ($360 Value) from KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs and Gay Desert Guide! These passes are sold out and this is one of the only ways to secure a VIB pass now. International Bear Convergence (IBC) 2022 takes place February 24–28 at Hotel Zoso.
Enter to Win: https://kgaypalmsprings.com/contests/
KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs is “The Pride of the Valley,” and you can show your Pride by proudly wearing our rainbow logo! Check out our selection of apparel and other items emblazoned with the best radio station call letters: KGAY! Shop now
The Center Re-Opens In-Person + Red Dress Tix
SAVE THE DATE for the Red Dress/Dress Red party, taking place Saturday, March 19 – and set your reminder for tickets going on sale because this one always sells out—and fast. Tickets for Red Dress/Dress Red go on sale Wednesday, February 16 at 9:00 a.m. at thecentercv.org
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert will reopen to in-person programming on Monday, February 7, continuing to observe public health recommendations with masks required in all indoor spaces and proof of vaccination required. Check out their website at thecentercv.org for more info on their extensive in-person and Zoom programming!
Theresa Caputo, Johnny Mathis at The Show
Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage presents Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience at the Show on Friday, February 4 at 8 pm. The star of TLC’s Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo comes face-to-face with her fans & lets spirit guide her through the audience with messages from departed loved ones on stage. Get tickets
On Saturday, February 5 at 8 pm, Johnny Mathis takes the stage at The Show, with his Voice of Romance Tour. Best known for his supremely popular hits like “Chances Are,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” and “Misty,” Johnny has recorded close to 80 albums, 6 Christmas albums, and has sold millions of records worldwide. His first album released on July 16, 1956. A year later, with his first TV appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, Johnny’s career was truly launched into stardom. Get tickets
Desert Art Center New Exhibit Party
The Desert Art Center is opening one of the largest shows of the season with all new works from gallery artists, in addition to an art pop-up in the Studio Gallery featuring the work of Janis Buller and Cathy Parker. Come for the New Exhibit Party on Friday, February 4 from 5–7 pm for refreshments and the largest selection of local fine art in the Coachella Valley. More info
February at the McCallum Theatre
The most popular act in the history of the McCallum Theatre, The Ten Tenors are back just in time for Valentine’s Day, performing multiple evenings (and matinees) from February 9–14. Also in February at the McCallum: Kristin Chenoweth (Feb. 18 & 19), Jay Leno (Feb. 20), Straight No Chaser a cappella (Feb. 23), and Broadway’s Jersey Boys (Feb. 25–27). Get tickets
Modern Mexican Art Beyond Borders
The Palm Springs Art Museum presents The Influence of Modern Mexican Art Beyond Borders: Selection of Works on Paper from the Collection, open now through July. The Mexican revolution of 1910-1920 inspired new artistic, social, and cultural developments that gained international recognition, attracting a significant group of European, North American, and South American artists to Mexico’s vital and dynamic artistic community. This installation includes a diverse selection of works on paper by sixteen artists, including Mexican modernists Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Guatemalan artist Carlos Merida, and American artist Pablo O’Higgins, among others. More info
LOCAL THEATRE
Life X 3
CV Rep presents Life X 3 by Yasmina Reza from January 25–February 6. As witty and acerbic as ‘Art’, Reza’s enormous worldwide success, Life X 3 contrasts man’s ability to analyze and map the outermost reaches of the universe with his total inability to respond rationally to the most trivial domestic mishap, and examines how the slightest random event can effortlessly derail the most elaborately laid plan. Check out Stephen Radosh’s review of Life X 3, which had him saying “even 24 hours after seeing the play, I am still thinking about it and what it had to say!” Get tickets
Always, Patsy Cline
Desert Theatreworks presents Always, Patsy Cline playing through this Sunday, February 6 at the Indio Performing Arts Center, based on the true story of one wild night in 1961 Houston, when single mom Louise Seger became fast friends with her idol, Ms. Patsy Cline. Louise recreates her evening and correspondence with Patsy, as well as many of the singer’s highlights, in this touching, down-home country musical comedy. Featuring a live band, this rollicking musical tribute includes many of Cline’s unforgettable hits such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Get tickets
Upcoming Theatre Productions
Here’s a glance ahead at more local productions taking the stage soon!
- There’s Nothing Like a Dame (concert) from Palm Canyon Theatre, Feb. 9
- The Drag from Desert Rose Playhouse, Feb. 16–Mar. 6
- Salty from Desert Ensemble Theatre Company, Feb. 18–27
- The Mountaintop from Dezart Performs, postponed to Mar. 4–13
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Our Gay Desert Guide theatre reviewer Stephen Radosh is back from seeing the (possibly) pre-Broadway tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the hit musical that originated, and is set, in England and is now playing at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown L.A. Jamie is a high school student with big dreams of becoming a “the most fabulous drag queen that ever was.” Radosh says this show “comes sailing in at just the right time,” and that “most of the characters in Jamie’s world, due in no small part to the tremendous skill of the cast, are quirky, interesting and fully realized.” Read the full review [here].
“Satur-Gays” at 10 am with Ross Mathews
Saturdays with Ross Mathews is on KGAY 106.5 every Saturday at 10:00 am on the FM dial in the Coachella Valley and streaming worldwide online! With RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 now underway, listen for Ross to weigh in on the latest episode with his insider’s perspective! Brought to you by the John White Real Estate Group. Ask your smart speaker to “Play K-G-A-Y Palm Springs.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race Recap: Season 14, Episode 5
Gay Desert Guide Drag Correspondent Dante Noto has recapped the latest episode from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 just for you! (Read all of Dante’s recaps here). In this episode, we learn why Kornbread’s bakery closed, more backstories that will melt your heart, and the queens produce faux PSA’s for a charity whose mission is to support first-eliminated drag queens. Read Dante’s full recap of Episode 5: Save a Queen here.
LOOKING AHEAD
Mighty Real: Black Men and HIV
Brothers of the Desert and Let’s Kick ASS (AIDS Survivor Syndrome) Palm Springs present Mighty Real: Black Men and HIV on Monday, February 7 from 5:30–7 pm on Zoom. The dynamic evening program will provide a retrospective on HIV in the Black Gay Community, updates on infection rates and treatments, testing and support group local resources, poetry reading, and music. Dr. Stephan Scoggins will provide soulful musical selections. The special guest will be Corey Saucier, a Black queer HIV positive poet, author, and playwright who will share some of his writings and his personal life story of living with HIV. More info
Black History Month at the Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum, in collaboration with the Palm Springs Black History Committee, presents several programs to celebrate Black History Month. On Thursday, February 10 from 5–7 pm, it’s the E&J Movement: Motown, Rhythm and Blues, and Smooth Jazz. Listen to some of your favorite Motown songs while learning about this history with someone who was actually there! You can then take a self-guided tour celebrating Black Artists on view. Docent tours also available. Subsequent Thursdays in February will feature themed presentations in the 5–7 pm time frame, during which museum admission is free, supported by the City of Palm Springs. Note: All visitors are required to make a reservation online before arriving at the museum. More info
Neil Simon’s I Ought to be in Pictures
Desert Theatreworks presents Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures from February 11–March 13 at the Indio Performing Arts Center. Herb Tucker is a struggling Hollywood screenwriter suffering from writer’s block. To make matters worse, his forgotten past just showed up on his doorstep in the form of Libby, his young teenage daughter he abandoned, along with her mother and brother, years earlier. Libby is a wisecracking, resourceful girl who has come to Hollywood to be an actor. Herb decides to take another stab at fatherhood and hopefully this time, get it right. Get tickets
Valentine’s Day at AsiaSF Palm Springs
It’s not too early to be making your Valentine’s Day plans! Join AsiaSF Palm Springs for A Special Valentine’s Day Evening on Monday, February 14 at 6:30 pm. This romantic evening will include a complimentary champagne toast, four-course pre-fixe menu and delectable house-made desserts, all punctuated by fabulous performances by the Ladies of AsiaSF Palm Springs. Then dance into the evening after dinner in the Forbidden City Nightclub. Get tickets
Valentine’s Day at The Purple Room
Love is in the air and classic tunes and fine dining is on the menu at The Purple Room Supper Club on Monday, February 14 from 5–9 pm. Make your reservation now for a romantic mid-century modern Valentine’s Day at Palm Springs iconic Purple Room: birthplace of The Rat Pack and LOVED by generations! Enjoy a special gourmet three-course meal designed just for the day. More info
- Always, Patsy Cline – presented by Desert Theatreworks
Jan. 7–Feb. 6, 2022 at the Indio Performing Arts Center - Life X 3 – presented by CVRep
Jan. 25–Feb. 6 - The Ten Tenors at the McCallum Theatre
7 Performances: Wed.–Mon., Feb. 9–14 - Neil Simon’s I Ought to be in Pictures – presented by Desert Theatreworks
Feb. 11–Mar. 13 - A Special Valentine’s Day Evening at AsiaSF Palm Springs
Feb. 14 at 6:30 pm - Modernism Week 2022
Feb. 17–27, 2022 at various locations throughout Greater Palm Springs - International Bear Convergence (IBC) 2022
Feb. 24–28, 2022 at Hotel Zoso - KGAY 106.5 Welcomes Melissa Etheridge
Tue. Mar. 29 & Wed. Mar. 30 at 7:00 p.m. at the McCallum Theatre - Palm Springs Animal Shelter Faux Fur Ball – All You Need is Love
Sat. Apr. 2 at the Palm Springs Air Museum
Welcome New Partners!
The Thirsty Palms in the heart of Palm Springs is a new casual dining experience bringing a fusion of American and the finest culinary food from the heart of Europe directly to you. General Manager Robert Ramirez and Executive Chef James pride themselves on passion for flavor and love for sharing life’s growth transformed into food with a smile. Learn more
Jake’s is a hip, casual American bistro in the Uptown Design District of Palm Springs. Dine alfresco in their charming courtyard or intimate dining room while enjoying chef-inspired originals and gourmet comfort foods, along with a full bar and interesting wine selection. There’s a definite vibe at Jake’s, like a fun dinner party with good friends. Learn more
- LIFE X 3 – Reviewed by Stephen Radosh
- Restaurant News Bites: A Look at Palm Springs’ Food Ware Ordinance; TKB’s New Digs; and More!
- Here Are the Out Athletes Competing At the 2022 Winter Olympics
- Super Bowl 56: Where to Watch the Big Game in Greater Palm Springs
- Palm Springs Vintage Market Grows into Midcentury Shoppers’ Paradise
AMP Sports Lounge has a casual, festive and funky atmosphere that suits all who choose to come and play as they effortlessly find a comfortable place to hang out, drink, enjoy a snack, and make new buddies. And if sport is not your thing, they also have everything from bingo to disco for you too. With our HOT DEAL, you get $40 to spend at AMP Sports Lounge for just $20. That’s like doubling your dollars! Get Your Deal
We also have Hot Deals at Bear Wear, Coachella Valley Coffee Co., 1501 Uptown Gastropub, Kitchen 86, Jolene’s, Grand Central, Il Giardino, Runway, Rick’s Desert Grill, Oscar’s, Thai Smile, Desert Mischief and more! See All Deals
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.” 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. And Saturdays at 10:00 am, it’s Coachella Valley resident Ross Mathews with his very own radio show!
