BY DIANE MARLIN- DIRKX
You just don’t give up, do you? It’s almost summer; we’ve endured triple-digit temps in May, and next with thanks to Rodgers and Hammerstein, guess what is twirling your personal “Carousel.” “June is bustin’ out all over!” That’s the spin—and we’re stickin’ to it. Let the snowbirds dip their beaks in the cool waters of other climes they call home, jump the Bomb to breathe the surfer-fresh Air in the Pacific, snare and fry fresh-water Walleye in the Land of Lakes, give sailing orders on-board on the Atlantic , as in, “who’s turn is it to bail or get ale?” No, my hearty summer-ites. This Desert Paradise is a 12-month contract. And you refuse to lie under a tree watching the ice melt and the swizzle spin in your Slurpee. Let us entertain you. Read on.
Friday, June 6, 7pm. “Masterpiece,” first staged at the Palm Springs Art Museum’s 75th Anniversary Gala received such critical acclaim that it has been brought back to be performed live on the stage of the Annenberg theater for this special reprise of Live It Up Productions’ extraordinary cast of Broadway-credited performers who will take you on an remarkable journey paying tribute to some of the world’s most celebrated pieces of classic art. Ticket, $10, proceeds from the event will jointly support programs and services of the Desert AIDS Project and the Palm Springs Art Museum. For tickets call the theater Box Office at 760-325-4490.
Sunday, June 8, 4 – 6pm. Big night for Broadway! Big afternoon for Angel View! Toucan’s Tiki Lounge and Angel View will present the first annual pre-Tony Awards Party benefiting Angel View Outreach, a program providing free benefits and support to children living with disabilities. The party takes place before the live Tony’s telecast begins. “Last year, “Kinky Boots” garnered top awards for the best musical,” notes Walter Johnson, MD, president of Angel View. “The inspirational true story had a tagline that inspired us, ‘When you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.’ That’s so relevant for people who live with disabilities! Tickets are $35 to include a hosted bar, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment; for $50, guests also get a walk down the runway and the chance to win the “Kinky Boots” trophy. Everyone is encouraged to decorate their highest heels, dress in “Kinky Boots” attire or desert casual. Each ticket includes a 20% coupon good from any Angel View Resale Store. Toucan’s Tiki Lounge, 2100 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. More info, call 760-320-2440 for tickets; 760- 413-3432 for sponsorships.
Saturday, June 14, 10am-2pm. Get into your gear guys, you know the drill! It’s time to show your stuff with helmet and padding and muscles in the “Desert Bowl – Battle for the Ball” Fundraiser. What’s the game? It’s a 7-on-7 semi-pro football tournament sponsored by Desert Chiefs Football. Wanna play to benefit the Desert Hot Springs JAA Football and Cheer Program? Entry fee, $10. Wanna watch? Entry is free with all food proceeds benefiting the program. Desert Springs High School, 65850 Pierson Blvd., Desert Springs High School. For more info, call 760-660-4697.
Tuesday, June 17 thru Monday, June 23. Only 7 days, but the Palm Springs International ShortFest –Short Film Festival & Film Market is long on talent, powered up on creative vision and one of the most acclaimed short film showcases in the world. Now in its 20th year, the ShortFest in Palm Springs will unspool over 300 short films from more than 50 countries. The Short Film Market will feature more than 3,000 films to buyers industry and press, with nightly receptions, seminars, master classes, scheduled one-on-one meetings, free to filmmakers who attend. For more info, call 760- 322-2930. Email: info@psfilmest.org
Friday, July 4, 7:30pm. Lights! Action! Extraordinary Sound Effects! Spectacular Firework Displays are in our future as we celebrate Independence Day by tossing the tea into the drink and all the sparkling fire we can muster into the blackened night skies on July 4 as we let it be known that we are liberating our country from that island across the pond, aka merry olde England. (Sill the best of friends, it was an amicable divorce.) The event is a benefit for the AIDS Assistance Program serving cocktails and hors d’oeuvres included. RSVP and Advance purchase required, $100. O’Donnell House, Palm Springs. Info, call 760-325-8481, or www.aidsssistance.org.
Sunday, July 13, 11:30 – 2:30pm You’ll want to save the Date for the Annual Pets on Parade Luncheon at the Desert Princess Resort benefiting the Humane Society of the Desert and The Pegasus Riding Academy! And submit your POP Ad by June 20, 2014, for the Pets on Parade Book. Naturally, your Fido, Fifi, stallion, macaw, four-or- claw-footed, furred or feathered beastie is the cutest, smartest, lovingest pet in the parade on this Earth. So, put your honey where the money is. Enter the Pets on Parade “cutest pet” photo contest to benefit two non-profit 501 (c)(3) organizations, namely Pegasus Riding Academy for the Handicapped, and the Humane Society of the Desert. The Winner of the Cutest Pet Contest will be featured at the 16th annual luncheon honoring animal activist Lindi Biggi, and on the August 2014 cover of Palm Springs Life. For more information, call 760-636-9400, 760-329-0203 or 760-770-0424.
Friday, October 24 – Sunday, November 2, 2014. Join an Art Tour Spain and Morocco with the Contemporary Art Council of the Palm Springs Art Museum for extraordinary nine-night, custom-designed art tour to three cities: Barcelona, Marrakesh, and Madrid. Experience exclusive destinations and enjoy encounters with artists, architects, collectors, and curators. The tour begins on October 24 with check-in at Majestic Hotel in Barcelona and concludes on November 2 with check-out of the Ritz Hotel in Madrid. Barcelona is a city of surprises as cutting-edge art, bold fashion, and eccentric architecture merge to create the country’s most cosmopolitan city. Marrakesh, nicknamed the “Red City” is the most important of Morocco’s four imperial cities balancing the ancient and classic characteristics with a burgeoning contemporary art and design scene. Madrid had undergone dramatic renovations and architecturally-significant transformations where traditional design has received a contemporary makeover – including the triad of exalted museums housing Spain’s treasures. The tour price includes airfares from Barcelona to Marrakesh and to Madrid. (International airfare from USA to Spain is not included.) $8,800 per person, double occupancy. Open to all museum members. Limited space. For further information please contact Gabby R. Gomez at cac@psmuseum.org or 760-322-4823.
Have a safe, spectacular summer! ‘Read on’ in September! “Don’t Be Clueless” wants to remind you that press releases should be in to the Coachella Valley Weekly at least two weeks ahead of the scheduled event! Thanks!
