One Door Closes, Another Door Opens! That’s an old adage attributed to both Hellen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as the title of a book that I’ve long loved in my career journey.
This week, we’re closing the door on June Pride month and opening the door to Palm Springs Pride with the first “Big Gay BBQ” to help keep our pride “free”. Hold your Saturday appetite till you get to the Arenas District for great BBQ and drinks with proceeds going to the pride organization.
Pride month has been especially poignant this year with the attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, drag queens and the transgender community. So when Pride commissioned local artist Trevor Wayne to do this year’s poster art, I was thrilled! His work is shown here and will become indelibly a part of Palm Springs “gay” history. The poster is available now at Destination PSP and at Trevor’s store (new location) at 901 N. Palm Canyon signed.
Now more than ever Pride will be an important show of force for our LGBTQ+ community to fight back – lipstick in hand with a raised fist!
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide on KGAY 106.5 Palm Springs
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Big Gay BBQ
Palm Springs Pride presents the Big Gay BBQ in the Arenas District on Saturday, June 24 from 5–11 pm. Nothing ushers in summer better than enjoying delicious BBQ, beverages, and great music with friends on a summer’s night at the biggest and most fabulous Big Gay BBQ! This finger-lickin’ BBQ features: FREE entry, DJ Modgirl and DJ Galaxy, fun backyard games, BBQ vendors, and Pride Bars… all to raise money to keep our November Pride festival free for all to attend. BBQ hosts are KGAY’s John Taylor and the hostess with the most-est Bella da Ball. Optional fundraiser VIP passes include a gourmet BBQ dinner and free-flowing beverages. More info
Palm Springs International ShortFest
The Palm Springs International ShortFest runs through Monday, June 26 at the Camelot Theatres (Palm Springs Cultural Center). This year’s festival showcases an impressive selection of 299 films from 65 countries, including 53 World Premieres, 10 International Premieres, 33 North American Premieres, and 18 U.S. Premieres. The films were curated from over 6,000 film submissions. ShortFest Forum also returns with classes and panels featuring industry representatives, filmmakers and additional guests. Awards and cash prizes worth $25,000, including five Academy Award-qualifying awards, will be announced on Sunday, June 25. The Best of the Fest shorts will screen on the final day, Monday, June 26. Check our listing for links to the schedule of screenings and a handy film finder where you can search by genre, country of origin, director and more: Get tickets
The Retros Radical Race
The PS Retros Softball Team presents The Retros Radical Race on Saturday, June 24 with a race across Palm Springs from 9 am–2 pm, figuring out clues while facing challenges and tasks along the way. Race against the clock to be beat your competitors to win amazing prizes once you cross the finish line, hosted by Margaritaville Resort. All money raised goes directly to the PS Retros Softball Team to help them represent Palm Springs in softball tournaments around the country. More info
Radical Race Finish Line Pool Party
Have friends or family running in the race? Just want to come and support the cause with a fun FREE day soaking up the sun? The Retros Radical Race Finish Line Pool Party starts 10 am on Saturday, June 24 and goes till the final team arrives and finishes the last challenge at the Margaritaville Resort. Enjoy food and drink specials, 50/50 and prize raffles, games and more at the Margaritaville Lone Palm Pool. More info
Boyz Night Out
On Friday, June 23—and every Friday night!— Zoso Fun presents Boyz Night Out at Hotel Zoso from 4 pm–8 pm. This legendary pool party and happy hour is hosted by Snatch and features music from K-Gay’s own multi award-winning deejay Vincente Corrales as DJ Galaxy! Come and enjoy go-go boys, awesome drink specials, pop up drag events, PS Flaggers and more, and kick off the weekend! More info
Max Mitchell – Full Length and Uncut
Runway Bar & Restaurant presents Max Mitchell – Full Length and Uncut, an evening of standup comedy and fun songs on Friday, June 23 at 8 pm. Top comedians Max Mitchell, Shann Carr and Evan Warner perform together along with musicians Chip Prince and Dwane Hathorn. Spend a memorable night with friends laughing at side splitting jokes and listening to fun songs by Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Kander & Ebb, Sandy Wilson, Jacque Brel, Fats Waller, Sheldon Harnick, Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, and Rogers & Hammerstein. Get tickets
Country Dance Fridays
Dance Ranch Palm Springs presents Country Dance Fridays, a great night of country western dancing, including two-step, waltz, shadow, East and West Coast swing and line dances, every Friday from 7–9:30 pm at Step by Step. The dance lesson is at 7 pm with dancing from 7:30–9:30. Dance Ranch Palm Springs is a country western dance group serving the LGBTQ+ community and its friends. Country dancers of all levels are welcome. More info
San Francisco Pride
San Francisco Pride takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, with the theme of “Looking Back and Moving Forward.” The Pride Parade will be on on Sunday morning June 25, going down Market Street from Embarcadero to the Celebration at Civic Center. More info
Coachella Valley Firebirds: Calder Cup Final
The Coachella Valley Firebirds made it to the Calder Cup Final in their inaugural season! Unfortunately they came up one goal short in a dramatic Game 7 finish to the series this past Wednesday. The game went into overtime tied 2-2 and the Hershey Bears won with a “sudden victory” goal. The Firebirds have had a stellar debut nevertheless. They began play in the 2022-23 American Hockey League with the brand-new Acrisure Arena as their home ice, as an owned-and-operated affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. They made it to the playoffs and became Western Conference Champions! Congratulations to the Firebirds and all their fans. Season tickets for next year are on sale now. Learn more
Sunsets at the Street Fair
The College of the Desert’s Street Fair presents Sunsets at The Street Fair with special evening hours on select dates through the summer. Come enjoy sunset shopping from 6:30–10:30 pm on Saturday, June 24. Future dates include these select Saturdays: July 22, August 26, and September 23. More info
Room 5, Motel 6
Script2Stage2Screen presents their final staged reading of the 2022-23 season on Friday, June 23 from 7:30–9:30 pm with Room 5, Motel 6, a fun-filled play offering love, loss, laughs, and a touch of lunacy, written and directed by Palm Springs playwright Jason Hull. Get tickets
Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music
Palm Springs Art Museum presents a special advance screening of an upcoming HBO documentary: Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music on Sunday, June 25 from 2–4:30 pm at the Annenberg Theater. In this unique concert, MacArthur Genius Award winner Taylor Mac reimagines American history as an over-the-top, queer-inflected, counter-cultural, musical extravaganza. A decade in the making, the 24-hour show—comprised of 240 songs performed by Mac and a huge supporting cast—was performed only once non-stop in its entirety. Oscar-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Times of Harvey Milk, The Celluloid Closet) adapted this tour-de-force performance in all its righteous outrage and radical humanity into a feature-length documentary. The film will be followed by a Q&A with Taylor and the filmmakers moderated by social activist Marc Huestis. Get tickets
Recap: Season 8 RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Episode 8
Gay Desert Guide Drag Correspondent Dante Noto has your latest recap for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 8, Episode 8: You’re a Winner Baby, and he says “Today’s recap will be informational at the start, fairly dull in the middle and EXPLOSIVE at the end! A queen has been gagged, gooped, stunned, betrayed and had her fantasy ruined. I’m talking about me, of course!” Find out just what has him feeling all the feelings when you read Dante’s full recap of Episode 8 [here].
Visitor Map & Guide Summer Edition
The Summer 2023 edition of our Gay Desert Guide Visitor Map & Guide (great for locals too) is available now around town and online! 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, Attractions, Gay Resorts with passes, Dispensaries and other services. You can also view it online, and download the PDF [here].
LOOKING AHEAD
CVRep Summer Cabaret Series Continues
Our theatre reviewer Stephen Radosh has spent the last couple of Thursday nights at CVRep’s Summer Cabaret Series and he’s here with a look at some recent shows as well as a preview of some great Thursday nights yet to come this summer as the series continues into July and August with performances from Miguel Bernal, Maximo Marcusso, Christia Mantzke, Leslie Stevens, David Engel, Lisa Vroman, and Mark Evans, whose performance of Hide & Seek, says Radosh, “is a must for anyone who is a friend of or a member of the LGBTQ family.” Read more
OutFest Tickets & Passes on Sale Now
OutFest Los Angeles is the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the world and the 41st Annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival is set to take place July 13–23 at various locations around Los Angeles. Tickets and Passes for OutFest 2023 are on sale now. The festival will open with Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, directed by Aitch Alberto, and the 11-day event will close with Chasing Chasing Amy, directed by Sav Rodgers. The Opening Night Gala will screen at the Orpheum Theatre, with the Closing Night Gala screening at The Montalbán Theatre. More info
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On the Air: KGAY 106.5
Win VIP Tickets to Pride Under the Pines
Pride Under The Pines returns to Idyllwild on Saturday October 7 and KGAY has your top tier VIP tickets to join John Taylor on the KGAY Party Bus! You get free drinks and incredible entertainment by fabulous and hilarious drag queens on the ride to the top of the mountain in style. Plus, you’ll have access to an open bar, an interactive movie and a special meet-and-greet with this year’s headliner. Pride Under the pines features fabulous entertainers for a fun day of music, drag shows, dancing, entertainment, food, drinks, vendors, and more, plus music by the amazing @djgalaxyps and vibe curator @djalexd_ Enter to Win on the KGAY Contest Page
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
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 now hanging out at The Rowan Window Bar each Thursday from 7–10 pm and Friday from 4–7 pm. She is also spinning your faves by the pool at The Paloma Resort on Saturday, June 24 from 12–4 pm! Join her for a cocktail and listen to some great beats! 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
On the Air: 103.1 MeTV fm
This weekend on 103.1 MeTV fm, tune in to A Summer Songs Weekend: Timeless and Memorable Songs About Summer and From Summers Past. 103.1 MeTV fm is KGAY’s sister station, featuring a unique mix of timeless and memorable music incorporating a wide variety of classic hits, deep tracks and softer sounds spanning several decades of popular music, including the ‘60s and ‘70s with a touch of the ‘50s and ‘80s. Listen online
- Arenas District Big Gay BBQ
Sat. Jun 24 at 5 pm in the Arenas District - Palm Springs International ShortFest
Jun 20–26 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center - Zoso Fun Presents Boyz Night Out
Fri. Jun 23 from 4–8 pm (and every Friday ongoing) at Hotel Zoso - OutFest LA LGBTQ+ Film Fest 2023
Jul 13–23 at various locations around Los Angeles - Gay Wine Weekend
Jul 14–16 in Sonoma Wine Country - Artful Event – Mid-Summer Dance Party
Sat. Jul 15 from 8–11 pm, Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture & Design Center - Out on the Mountain 2023
Fri. Aug 18 from 6 pm–12 am at Six Flags Magic Mountain - Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
Sep 20–24 at Margaritaville Resort
- Enjoy the Desert After Dark This Summer
- Do You Use ‘Queer’? Avoid It At All Costs? We Look Into Its Long And Complex History
- Hiking With T: Yes, You Can Find Cooler Hikes During the Heat—But Give Yourself Time to Acclimate
- Summer Cocktails to Try in Greater Palm Springs
- Why you Might Notice More Religious Groups at Pride Celebrations This Year
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. Come enjoy this locally-owned and locally-grown modern eclectic small plate restaurant and bar and save 50% with our Hot Deal: Get a $50 Kitchen 86 gift card for just $25! Get Your Deal
We also have Hot Deals at AMP Sports Lounge, Coachella Valley Coffee Co., Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon, Papa Dan’s Pizza and Pasta, Il Giardino, Zin American Bistro, Destination PSP, V Wine Lounge & Martini Bar, Desert Mischief, Jolene’s Bar & Lounge, Rick’s Restaurant, Willie’s Modern Fare, Lulu California Bistro 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.” 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)