The Palm Springs Public Library Foundation has announced the addition of Poetry Lounge to the Fourth Annual Pride on the Page Book Festival, expanding the celebration of LGBTQ+ literature and voices. The free daytime festival takes place Saturday, November 1 from 10 am–5 pm at the Palm Springs Cultural Center and features a full schedule of author panels, readings, and community conversations.
Poetry Lounge will be held Saturday, November 1 from 12–1 pm in Theatre Two and offers a dedicated space for LGBTQ+ poets to share their work and foster dialogue. Limited refreshments will be available during this segment on a first-come, first-served basis. Six featured poets will present their work:
• Gary Hunter writes with humor and heart, crafting poetry that connects people through love and friendship. His work is designed to introduce poetry to those unfamiliar with its form.
• Donika Kelly is the author of Bestiary, The Renunciations, and The Natural Order of Things. Her accolades include the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
• Doris Reed is a poet, artist, and motivational speaker whose work has appeared in anthologies, magazines, and theatrical productions. She has published multiple books and a spoken-word CD.
• Steven Reigns, the first Poet Laureate of West Hollywood, is the author of Inheritance, Your Dead Body is My Welcome Mat, and A Quilt for David. His latest collection, Outliving Michael, memorializes a friend lost to AIDS.
• Sweet Baby J’ai is a jazz vocalist, writer, and producer honored as a Living Jazz Legend and inducted into the California Jazz & Blues Hall of Fame. Her book Sing Your Life offers guidance on turning creative passion into income.
• Lorenzo Taylor is a Palm Springs-based novelist, playwright, and poet whose work explores Black gay life and personal storytelling. His recent live show spotlighted drag pioneer William Dorsey Swann.
In addition to Poetry Lounge, the daytime festival includes author panels such as:
• Novel Conversations – Ryan O’Connell (Just By Looking At Him), Jonathan Parks Ramage (It’s Not the End of the World), Byron Lane (Big Gay Wedding), and Steven Rowley (The Dogs of Venice).
• So Many Stars – Caro De Robertis discusses oral histories across the gender spectrum with Lex Ortega.
• Out Living/Outliving – Marisa Crane (A Sharp Endless Need) and Eric C. Wat (Daddy Issues) in conversation with Steven Reigns.
• Great Black Hope – Rob Franklin discusses his debut novel with Will Dean.
• Pleasure & Pain in Personal Stories and Poems – Melissa Febos (The Dry Season) and Donika Kelly in conversation with Meredith Maran.
• Book It! The Ins and Outs of Getting Published – Eduardo Santiago moderates a panel with Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press), Ian Henzel (Rattling Good Yarns Press), and Christine Svendson (Sapphire Books Publishing).
Registration is requested for the free daytime festival. That evening, a ticketed fundraising event will feature special guest Chris Colfer—best known for his role as Kurt Hummel on Glee—Saturday, November 1 from 7–9 pm. Get tickets
The Pride on the Page Book Festival is supported by the Palm Springs Public Library, the City of Palm Springs, Palm Springs Cultural Center, The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs, and numerous community partners including KGAY, Promo Homo TV, CV Independent, and the Gay Desert Guide.
To explore the full schedule, author bios, and event details, visit prideonthepage.org. To learn more about the Palm Springs Public Library Foundation and its mission to support the library as a cultural and educational resource, visit pslibraryfoundation.org.