Well, 2017 is coming to an end, and I say good riddance! Bring on 2018 and bring it on hard! If you'll be staying in or visiting Palm Springs for New Years, check out the Dine channel for all the places to go for delicious food, champagne, and partying in the new year.
Luckily there's a lot to do on New Year's Eve this Sunday. The only problem will probably be in choosing which to go to!
Plain White T's, Fireworks at 2018 New Year's Eve Countdown at the SPA Resort Casino
Why should Times Square have all the fun? Ring in the New Year with the third annual Palm Springs New Year countdown at Spa Resort Casino.
Festivities include a free outdoor block party from 8pm-1am, complete with Kids Zone, Bar Garden, and sets from DJ Dense. Illinois rock band Plain White T's ("Hey There, Delilah") performs an outdoor concert at 10:30pm; tickets run from $35 for general admission to $100 for the VIP Package. At midnight, the sky lights up with a fireworks display to welcome the new year.
KC and the Sunshine Band Perform at Agua Caliente
Get ready to shake your booty on New Year’s Eve when KC and the Sunshine Band take the stage at the premier theater in Southern California, The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage. Tickets run $75-95.
KC and the Sunshine Band are as widely popular today as they were when they first danced onto the music scene nearly 45 years ago. Harry Wayne Casey – KC for short – developed a unique fusion of R&B and funk, with a hint of a Latin percussion groove, that produced a string of hits like “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way (I Like It)” and “Shake Your Booty.” With sales of over 100 million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, KC and the Sunshine Band was one of the most progressive bands of the 70s and is credited with changing the sound of modern pop music.
Bon Appetit! Dirty Little Secrets Burlesque New Years Eve Prime Rib Dinner and Show
Usher in the New Year with the excitement of Burlesque! Enjoy over-the-top entertainment of Dirty Little Secrets, a vintage-themed party, showgirls, prime rib dinner, and a private fireworks viewing celebration at midnight. (Dinner 9PM | Show 9:30PM | Fireworks Viewing Celebration 12AM )
Tickets include the Live Burlesque, Boylesque, Comedy, and Variety-style Entertainment, Prime Rib Buffet, Dessert Bar, 2 Glasses of Champagne (and one more for the midnight toast), and other party favors.
New Years Eve Prix Fixe Dinner at Trio
Trio is offering 3 dinner seatings at 5:30 ($ 59), 7:30 ($79) and 9:30 ($99). All three seatings have the same three course prix fixe menu. The 9:30 seating includes unlimited wine and champagne. In addition Trio is offering Party at the Bar at 10:00 ($29) which includes unlimited wine & champagne, party favors and a balloon drop at midnight. Info, menu and reservations here.
BB's Annual NYE Masquerade Party at Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs
The NYE Masquerade Party is back for the 34th year & they are pulling out all the stops. Join at the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs & prepare to be dazzled as they ring in 2018 in style at one of the premier NYE events in southern California! Masks are optional, but supposedly "the ladies like them," so join in on the fun! The event covers three floors & six stages of entertainment featuring 12 DJs & 2 bands playing all genres of music, and a Midnight Celebration with video screens & party favors.
New Year's Eve Drag Show at TRUNKS
Say Goodbye to 2017 and ring in 2018 with class and style with Anita Treadmill as your host and DJ Ginger Bear for Trunks New Year's Eve celebration. Info here.
New Year's Eve at Lulu California Bistro
There are two options for New Year’s Eve dining at Lulu: Make a reservation between 4:30-6:30 pm, for $49.99, or make the evening a real celebration by dining from 7:30 pm, and ring in the New Year and dance the night away with Tony Grandberry and his Big Fun Orchestra. Second seating includes hats, party favors, and a Champagne toast for $99.99. Reservations are strongly suggested. 760-327-5858.
New Year's Eve at Streetbar
Join Streetbar New Year's Eve at 9:00 PM and 12:00 AM to ring in the East Coast and West Coast New Year Celebrations. There will be a free champagne toast, no cover and music by Lindsay Karg. The 9:00 PM toast will include appetizers from Tipper's Gourmet Market. More here.
New Year's Eve at Acqua
New Year’s Eve dining at ACQUA will be a new desert classic! The festive four-course dinner will be served in two seatings: 4:30-6:30 PM for $39.99; or 7:00 PM with an “East Coast”/New York Times Square New Year’s celebration at 9 PM, for $49.99. The lively dining room will be full of New Year’s Eve merry-makers, and you'll still get home for a good night’s sleep! Click HERE for full ACQUA menu
Stripper Circus Electris at Chill Bar
Chill Bar is excited to announce a special event produced by Paul Nicholls & Justin David, bringing their Stripper Circus to Arenas for a New Years Eve party. The event brings 15 GoGo Gods, world-renowned DJ Roland Belmares and VIP Packages for what is sure to be a New Year’s Eve extravaganza. Launched in 2011, Stripper Circus has had shows in West Hollywood, Las Vegas, San Diego and Austin, Texas. Due to this being an exclusive event, pre-sale tickets for the 8 p.m. admission are available through their ticket outlets, which can be found here.
New Year's Eve at The Tool Shed
Join Tool Shed for their New Year's Eve Celebration. There will be snacks, hors d' oeuvres, hats, noise makers and party favors. DJ Norseman will spin from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM. There will be a champagne toast at midnight!
New Year's Eve at the Purple Room Supper Club
Michael Holmes' Purple Room Supper Club will offer three options for New Year's. Rose Mallet and Mark Kahny are at 5:00 PM with a $65 Prix Fixe. They are also doing a 7:30 Show with a $95 Prix Fixe. At 10:00 PM Diva Sharon Sills will sing in the New Year. $135 Prix Fixe. The 10:00 PM show includes wine, unlimited champagne and party favors.
New Year's Eve Karaoke Party at Retro Room
Come ring in the New Year at Retro Room while doing what you love the most!! Drinking and singing all night long til 2am. Complimentary hors d'ouvres and a champagne toast at midnight.
Toucan's New Year's Eve
Ring in the new year with friends and family at Toucan's, with DJ Ac and Jazmyn Simone at the helm. Live performance at 11, champagne toast with Jazmyn at midnight. Sexy go gos on three boxes, and a balloon drop round out this over the top event, which has no cover charge!
High Bar New Year's Eve Dance Party
High Bar, atop the new Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs hotel hosts, its first New Years Eve rooftop dance party! Tickets include the Cover Charge, a Hosted Bar and Dj Day to dance the night away.
Oscar's New Year's Eve Sunday T Dance
DJ Galaxy will be spinning at Oscars T-Dance until closing instead of 9:00 PM on New Year's Eve. In addition to the great music there will be hourly ball drops. You will be able to watch the festivities around the world on Oscar's large out door TV screen.
Check out GayDesertGuide for more fun New Year's Eve activities!
Palm Springs International Film Festival Opens January 2
Just as the remnants of New Year's Eve confetti is being swept up, the Palm Springs International Film Festival gets the new year, and the busy season, off to a rolling start. On Tuesday, January 2, the annual Film Awards Gala will kick off the festival at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Last year’s star-studded event, hosted by Mary Hart, honored Amy Adams, Andrew Garfield, Annette Bening, Casey Affleck, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Negga, Tom Hanks, and the cast of Hidden Figures and the creative ensemble of "La La Land." The festival’s “Power of Words: Book to Screen” program will be held Wednesday, January 3.
The screening portion of the festival will run Thursday, January 4 through Monday, January 15. Opening Night screening will take place at Richards Center for the Arts on Thursday, January 4, with a party to follow at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The festival will close on Sunday, January 14, with Best of the Fest screenings taking place Monday, January 15.
Reminder: Second Screening of "The Freedom to Marry" Documentary Added
Rich Weissman and J.D. Horn, through a donation from the Richard Norris Weissman Trust and in partnership with GayDesertGuide and the Palm Springs Cultural Center, present the Palm Springs premiere of the highly acclaimed documentary, "The Freedom To Marry".
The original 6:30pm screening quickly sold out, so a second screening has been added at 1:30pm the same day. Lead documentary subject Evan Wolfson and other notable guests will host a Q&A session at both screenings, and Modern Men's Chorus and the Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus will perform. The event celebrates the unveiling of the new Palm Springs Cultural Center name on the building and new lobby.
"The Freedom to Marry", a full-length feature film by Eddie Rosenstein, tells the epic, nail-biting, untold story of how same-sex marriage became law of the land follows Evan Wolfson, the architect of the movement, and his key colleagues on this decades long battle, culminating in the dramatic fight at the U.S Supreme Court. More than the saga of one movement's history, the film is the inspiring tale of how regular people can actually win – and how activists can effectively change the minds and laws of the nation.