WILDLIGHTS CELEBRATES 21st SEASON AT THE LIVING DESERT
Almost a Million Twinkling Lights Illuminate the Park with Holiday Joy
WildLights Kicks-Off Friday, November 29th at 5:30 p.m.
WildLights at The Living Desert, one of the Coachella Valley’s most adored and sparkling holiday traditions, returns this holiday season on Friday, November 29th with opening night lighting festivities beginning at 5:30 p.m.
WildLights at The Living Desert is open from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the following dates:
November 29 – 30
December 6, 7, 13, 14, 19-23, 26-31
“We are excited to announce the Tunnel of Lights is back by popular demand!” says Stacey Johnson, CEO & President of The Living Desert. “WildLights is one of our favorite events of the year, and this year’s display is going to be the biggest and best yet, with more twinkling lights and exciting holiday fun for the whole family.”
Underwritten by the H.N. & Frances C. Berger Foundation and sponsored by the City of Indian Wells, WildLights transforms the zoo into an amazing winter wonderland with almost a million colorful, twinkling holiday lights. This year’s event will feature new light displays, visits with Santa Claus, Wildlife Wonders shows, camel and carousel rides, and food and beverage stations.
Adult tickets are $10; Members, Children, Military (with ID) are $8; and children under 2 are free. For more information, visit www.LivingDesert.org or contact 760-346-5694.
2013 PALM SPRINGS OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT AIDS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
20th Annual Event is Free to Public and Features Some of World’s Top LGBT Tennis Players
AIDS Assistance Program (AAP) has been selected by the Desert Tennis Association as the benefitting charity for the 2013 Palm Springs Open Tennis Tournament. The 20th annual tournament takes place from Friday to Sunday, November 29 –through Sunday, December 1, 2013 at the following host sites: Mission Hills Country Club, Monterey Country Club, Rancho Las Palmas Country Club, and Plaza Racquet Club. The event is free to the public and a portion of the proceeds from the silent auction and dinner will benefit AAP.
“AAP has an excellent track record in providing critical services to those living with AIDS here in our desert community,” says Tournament Director Nabil Najjar. “We strongly believe in this organization as a trusted and cost-efficient provider of critical services, supported by a group of dedicated volunteers, which make it a great match for our organization.”
Mission Hills Country Club will host a banquet at 7:00 pm on Saturday, November 30. Tickets for the banquet are $40 per person and include a no-host cocktail reception, dinner and entertainment. Those who donate to the tournament on behalf of AAP, via a gift certificate, raffle item, or silent auction item, will be recognized publicly at the event and in an advertisement featured in the tournament player book.
Since its founding in 1991, AIDS Assistance Program of Palm Springs remains dedicated to providing nutritional support to improve the quality of the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. Initiated by a small group of concerned citizens led by the late Gloria Greene and Jeannette Rockefeller, AAP provides food to members of the community with low incomes. For more information, please call 760/325-8481 or visit aidsassistance.org.
ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE TO BENEFIT CLIENTS OF AAP
Trio Restaurant in Palm Springs will play host to AIDS Assistance Program’s annual holiday gift drive on Sunday, December 1, 2013 from 12-3 pm. Trio is located at 707 North Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. Guests are asked to bring a new, unwrapped gift.
“We’ve surveyed our clients, and they’ve told us that they need basic household items such as pillows, sheet sets, blankets, etc.,” says AAP CEO Mark Anton. “Unwrapped toys for our clients’ children are also needed and appreciated.”
A minimum gift value (or donation) of $15 is suggested. Beer, wine, and holiday treats will be provided.
Since its founding in 1991, AIDS Assistance Program of Palm Springs remains dedicated to providing nutritional support to improve the quality of the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. Initiated by a small group of concerned citizens led by the late Gloria Greene and Jeannette Rockefeller, AAP provides food to members of the community with low incomes.
For more information, please call 760/325-8481 or visit aidsassistance.org.
“THE THREAT OF BIOTERRORISM” PRESENTEDBY THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF THE DESERT
From Anthrax to viral hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola, deadly biologic agents in small, concealed amounts unleashed by determined terrorists would have catastrophic results. Not only would these cause massive loss of life in dense urban areas, but also in neighboring communities as the affected and infected flee to safety.
On Sunday, December 15, the World Affairs Council of the Desert will present Dr. Maria Salvato, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine who is also at the U.S. Institute of Medicine (Smallpox Panel); and the Global Virus Network, as their guest speaker. She will speak on making ourselves safe from any biothreat–whether a pandemic brought by nature or terrorists–security measures currently in place, the efforts to make vaccines against current threats, as well as her views of the weaknesses in the system.
The event will take place at the Renaissance Esmeralda in Indian Wells, beginning with a reception at 5 p.m. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., with the presentation after dinner followed by questions and answers. The program includes a three-course meal, wine with dinner, tax and gratuity, as well as valet parking for $65-$80 per person.
For more information: worldaffairsdesert.org; (760) 322-7711.
28TH ANNUAL 2014 SOUTHWEST ARTS FESTIVAL® POSTER UNVEILING AND PRESS CONFERENCE KICK OFF EVENT
Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at the Indio Chamber of Commerce at 10:30. Public is Invited to Attend.
The 4-star accredited Indio Chamber of Commerce will host the 28th Annual 2013 Southwest Arts Festival Poster unveiling at the Chamber offices on December 3rd at 10:30. The Public is invited to attend. Local community leaders and business owners will be there. The Indio Chamber is located at 82-921 Indio Blvd.
This is an exciting event for fans of the Southwest Arts Festival who have collected the posters for years. Every year, when a new poster is unveiled, they add it to their collection. The 2014 Southwest Arts Festival is being held January 24, 25, 26, 2014. Celebrating its 28th Anniversary, the Festival will once again be at the beautiful Empire Polo Club in Indio.
This coming year, over 250 acclaimed artists will show traditional, contemporary and abstract fine works of art. The Festival is a major internationally recognized cultural event. The Festival’s reputation for first-class quality and professional integrity make it one of the finest throughout the country. As the Indio Chamber’s largest annual fundraiser, the chamber is exceptionally fortunate to have over 150 community leaders and volunteers contributing numerous hours to make certain that the Festival is successful.
For information visit: www.southwestartsfest.com
Phone: 760-347-0676
Follow the Festival on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SouthwestArtsFestival
RIVERSIDE COUNTY CLASSIC CAR SHOW OPEN TO ALL CLASSIC CARS AND SPECIAL INTEREST CARS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH 9 AM UNTIL 3 PM…CAR CHECK-IN IS FROM 7 AM UNTIL 9 AM
RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN INDIO…HWY 111 AT ARABIA STREET
THIS WONDERFUL FAMILY EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
ADMISSION GATE – AT THE MAIN ENTERANCE TO THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS AND THROUGH THE PARKING ENTERANCE GATE ON ARABIA
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT – “NIGHT LIFE” PERFORMING THE GREAT HITS OF THE 50’S, 60’S AND 70’s ON THE MAIN STAGE FROM 11 AM THROUGH 3 PM
ADMISSION – JUST FIVE DOLLARS…ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL ADMITED FREE BY PRESENTING THEIR MILITARY ID CREDENTIALS
BENEFACTORS – ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THE PEGASUS THEREPUTIC RIDING ACADEMY
OTHER ATTRACTIONS – EXHIBITORS AND VENDOR DISPLAYS / FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE
MILITARY TRIBUTE – IN HONORING THE REMEMBERANCE OF PEARL HARBOR DAY THERE WILL BE A MILITARY TRIBUTE DURING THE EVENT
COME JOIN US TO VIEW SOME OF FINEST CLASSIC CARS AROUND, A TIME FOR GREAT FAMILY FUN AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME TO SOME OF AMERICA’S HAPPIEST DAYS
INDIAN WELLS ARTIST GESSO COCTEAU FEATURED IN GROUP SHOW
“FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING”AT UCR PALM DESERT
The Public is Invited to an Opening Reception on Wednesday, December 11th
Indian Wells Artist Gesso Cocteau, creator of the tallest standing cast bronze sculpture in the United States, will be one of the featured artists in an exciting exhibit, titled “Figuratively Speaking,” at the University of California Riverside in Palm Desert.
Cocteau and other artists featured in the exhibit will be present at an opening reception on Wednesday, December 11th, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Gesso Cocteau has been showing in galleries since the late seventies, with her work evolving from drawings in pen and ink, to painting to fabricated steel sculptures. In 1990 she began focusing on casting in bronze, evolving toward a celebration of the human form. One of her monumental works is a 51-ft. cast bronze, Endless Celebration, the tallest standing cast bronze sculpture in the America, installed in Bellevue, Washington. Some of her many commissions include sculptures for Eisenhower Medical Center, The Greg and Stacy Renker Pavillion, and Hard Rock Cafes in Rome, Berlin, Niagara Falls, Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando.
The human form, Cocteau’s concentrated focus, is the subject of the UCR Palm Desert exhibit “Figuratively Speaking,” which will examine “the story of each artist in drawing, painting and sculpture.” The show will feature primarily Coachella Valley artists. In addition to Cocteau, other artists in the exhibit include Ryan Motel Campbell, Ming C. Lowe, Luiz Castro, Meridy Volz, Robert Yancy, Adam Rodriguez, Andres Orlowski, Temo Aldrete, Gary Patterson, and Laurel Goddard.
The opening reception is an exciting opportunity to meet and mingle with Cocteau and the other artists. It is free and open to the public. Anyone interested in attending is asked to RSVP at www.palmdesert.ucr.edu. The University of California Riverside Palm Desert campus is located at 75080 Frank Sinatra, Palm Desert.
COMEDY NIGHT AT AZUL STARRING LA’S HOTTEST COMICS
DECEMBER 14, 2013
Comedy Night at Azul Starring LA’s Hottest Comics announces its Saturday, December 14, show featuring comic stars CARLEASE BURKE of Showtime’s Shameless, ABC Family’s Switched at Birth and Fox’s The Mindy Project, CINDY BURNS, recently selected by Joan Rivers as the “Next Breakout Star”, and of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Oprah Winfrey Show and MATT MARR of the Hollywood Improv, The World Famous Comedy Store and Laugh Factory.
The pre-show starts at 6:30PM and the show begins at 7:30PM. With 44 sold-out monthly shows in a row, reservations are highly encouraged. Please call 760.325.5533. Cover, with advance reservations, for this great show is only $15 and $20 at the door. Azul is located at 369 N. Palm Canyon Drive in vibrant Downtown Palm Springs.
