This weekend is going to be bananas – B- A- N- A- N- A- S! There will be plenty of info on that later on this week, but we wanted to point you toward some of the smaller events locals should be interested in but can't always hear over the din of roaring bears and airplane propellers.
***Got an event or business in Greater Palm Springs that might fit our site and interest our readers? Get in touch!***
IBC Kicks Off With Special Screening of Where the Bears Are Season 6
International Bear Convergence (IBC) is the premier winter event for Bears & admirers in Palm Springs, California. The four-day event will come to life with DJs, live entertainment and thousands of bears from around the globe. The last four years were hugely successful and they expect more of the same in 2018 with record-breaking attendance for their fifth anniversary.
You can also buy tickets now to the kickoff event on February 8 to join the cast and crew of the internet sensation whodunit web series WHERE THE BEARS ARE for a special screening of WHERE THE BEARS ARE: SEASON 6! Then take part in a special crowd taping scene for season 7! It all starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Palm Springs Cultural Center with a discussion with the cast and crew about the series.
Gay Pilots Weekend
The 2018 Palm Springs Winter Warm-Up Presented by United Airlines, the flagship West Coast event of the National Gay Pilots Association, will be held this weekend at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel. Get more info about this annual event and this historic group here.
Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards with New Host Carson Kressley
Emmy-Award winning TV personality, style expert, fashion designer and New York Times best-selling author Carson Kressley will replace Ross Mathews as host of the 24th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. It was announced last week that Mathews will be sequestered in the Big Brother Celebrity House as he competes in the first celebrity season of the long-running reality show that begins airing on February 7 on CBS.
The awards kick off at 7:00 PM and will feature En Vogue as headline entertainment and Thelma Houston at the after-party. Tony Marchese, owner of Trio Restaurant, will receive the Partners for Life Award, and Dr. Shubha Kerkar, MD, HIVMA, MACP, AAHIVS, Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease Specialist, will be recognized with the 100 Women Award.
Click here to reserve your place at the party or call 760-992-0445
GDG Editor Brad Fuhr to Receive Community Award, Launch Local Chapter of "Gay For Good"
On Monday, Feb. 12, Gay Desert Guide founding editor Brad Fuhr will receive the City of Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Community Service Award for "Promoting Universal Human Rights Closer to Home". "I'm going to springboard that into a new community service group that is near and dear to my heart, 'Gay For Good'," says Mr. Fuhr in the invitation to an informational reception following the ceremony. The reception will be held at RetroRoom Lounge from about 4:30-6:30pm; attendees will enjoy appetizers provided by Oscar's Cafe & Bar 3 and no host bar with happy hour prices.
Lombardo Cosmetic Surgery Holds Expansion Event Benefiting Barbara Sinatra Center for Abused Children
Dr. Maria Lombardo, a successful Board Certified General and Cosmetic Surgeon based in Rancho Mirage, is hosting a special Ribbon Cutting and Grand Re-Opening at their offices on Thursday, February 8th from 3:30-6:00 PM benefitting the Barbara Sinatra Center for Abused Children.
Dr. Lombardo has expanded her existing space to make way for her increasing business and to provide dedicated space for her new Esthetician services. The event will feature a raffle (with proceeds to the Charity) along with food and drink provided by Catalan. Other special guests will be on hand as well.
Grooves Jazz Series Returns to the Westin
The Westin Mission Hills Golf and Resort Spa presents a new season of its smooth jazz series Grooves at the Westin, opening this Saturday, February 10. Three of the biggest names in smooth jazz come together for a not-to-miss season opener. Jeff Lorber on keys, Everette Harp on sax and Paul Jackson, Jr. on guitar are each headlining acts in their own right, but together will deliver an exclusive Grooves All-Star Jazz performance that will bring you to your feet! Dinner and room packages available.
Eisenhower Medical Center presents Below the Belt Lecture Series
Eisenhower's Below the Belt Lecture Series kicks off at 5:30pm on Wednesday, February 7 with "Follow the Yellow Brick Road – Urinary Tract Infections: A Frank Discussion." Did you know that urinary tract infections can occur in both men and women? However, due to the female anatomy, there is a greater than 50 percent chance of a woman getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in her lifetime. Knowing what to look for and what to do about it can help keep you comfortable and prevent a UTI from turning into a serious infection. Join Ann Stapleton, MD, as she shares information about the causes, symptoms, treatment options as well as some tips for preventing future infections.
Upcoming lectures in the Below the Belt series include Gay Men’s Guide to Sex (Feb 21), HIV and Aging: Looking to the Future (Mar 7), Keeping Your Prostate Healthy (Mar 14), and PrEP: Frequently Asked Questions and Discussion (Mar 21). The series will be held at the at the The LGBT Community Center of the Desert in Palm Springs. Reservations for the first lecture are required by 02/07/2018. All Community members are invited to participate. For more information, call 760-423-4855 or email reservations@eisenhowerhealth.org.