Desert Happenings: Bella Da Ball Tells All!

artwork by: james a. cesena
the imij factory
Palm Springs: A roarin’ good time… The temps are climbing, the pool parties are rocking, and events and activities continue year-round in our paradise.

Wet ‘n Wild Times In The Desert:

The mid-summer We Love The ‘80s Dance Party, benefiting Desert AIDS Project and Qchella Media, takes place Saturday, August 3 at Chill Bar Palm Springs. DJ Eric Ornelas up at the front bar, with DJ Matt Consolo in the back room. chillbarpalmsprings.com

Party and rock with ‘90s boy bands and heartthrobs at Pop 2000 Tour, including O-Town, Aaron Carter, Ryan Cabrera and Tyler Hilton. Hosted by Lance Bass, the fun take place on Saturday, August 3 at Spotlight 29 Casino’s Showroom. spotlight29.com

Salsa Bachata Extravaganza, a pool party weekend with DJ Salsa, Bachata, Reggaeton music, takes place Thursday, August 1 through Sunday, August 4 at The Riviera Resort Palm Springs. jaybyam.com/latin-splash/

It’s Bears on the Prowl Foam Party Weekend at CCBC Resort Hotel, Friday, August 9 through Sunday, August 11. The weekend is 100 percent fur/clothing optional, for bears and the men who love them. bearsontheprowl.com

Studio One11 presents a special screening of The Other Side: A Queer History’s Last Call on Sunday, August 4. A question and answer session with director/producer Jane Cantillon, featuring entertainment by Tommy Dodson, Bryan Miller, with Vince Cartelli behind the bar. studio111bar.com

LGBT Dine Out Group of Coachella Valley meets Tuesday, August 13 at La Spiga Ristorante Italiano in Palm Desert. Open to all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and straight supporters, the group meets to try out different restaurants and meet new friends and visitors. lgbtdineoutgroup.com

Happy 28th Anniversary Streetbar! A special celebration takes place Saturday, August 17 with Billy Wilson as “Carol Channing,” Siobhan, Joe De Hoyos and the Northern Lights Acoustic Trio. psstreetbar.com

The Fourth Annual Taste of Summer Rancho Mirage, presented by the Rancho Mirage Restaurant Association, Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Rancho Mirage, runs through Sunday, August 18. Dozens of restaurants and resorts with cool summer specials on appetizers, drinks and desserts, with proceeds benefiting local charities and the chamber. tasteofsummerranchomirage.com

Dog Days of Summer art exhibit at UCR Palm Desert continues through Sunday, August 24. Benefiting Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, this art show is about our fine friends of fin and fur, featuring the work of animalitarians/humanitarians, Karen and Tony Barone, as well as other local artists. palmdesert.ucr.edu

Cabaret on the Green Open Mic, hosted by Les Michaels with Joel Baker on the piano, happens every Friday and Saturday at AJ’s on the Green at Date Palm Country Club in Cathedral City. Les’ Cabaret on Sundays Concert Series, in its 11th season, is every Sunday through September with a different show held in the Arthur Newman Theater at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert. lesmichaels.com

Palm Springs Art Museum Summer Film Series, in collaboration with Palm Springs International Film Society, continues with a screening of 1969’s Medium Cool on Thursday, August 8 (A timely drama about a TV cameraman covering the unrest at Chicago’s 1968 Democratic National Convention!), The Rain People, screening Thursday, August 22; Zabriskie Point, screening Thursday, September 5. The films are free, held at the Annenberg Theater inside the museum, which incidentally also has free admission Thursday evenings. psfilmfest.org

Authentic Dating 101, intensive weekend workshop for gay men, will be held Friday, August 16 through Sunday, August 18 at the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. thecenterps.org

Sing it sister! Join in… Auditions Coming This Month and More!

California Desert Chorale: Audition with Artistic Director Tim Bruneau on Monday, August 26 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Palm Desert.
californiadesertchorale.org/chorale-auditions

Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus open call auditions on Tuesday, August 27 with Artistic Director Douglas Wilson, at Mizell Senior Center. Opportunities for potential members to also preview open rehearsals Tuesdays, August 13 and 20. psgmc.com/auditions

PSGMC will also present a special concert at the Coachella Valley Repertory’s new venue on Sunday, August 25. cvrep.org

Modern Men, Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus auditions with Artistic Director Dr. Stan Hill at United Methodist Church of Palm Springs on Saturday, September 14, with open rehearsal on Monday, September 9. modernmen.org

Want to just sing, just not with a specific, organization or group? Join the Mizell Sing Along Singers on Tuesday afternoons. mizell.org

Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus joins the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles and over 500 singers from across the country at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on Friday, August 16 to commemorate GMCLA’s 40th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising with the new choral music suite, Quiet No More – A Choral Celebration of Stonewall, commissioned by New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and GMCLA.
gmcla.org

After a summer break, Michael Holmes’ Purple Room Supper Club reopens Tuesday, August 27! Sam Harris, the Tony Award nominee, makes an appearance Friday and Saturday, August 30 and 31. purpleroompalmsprings.com

For a change of scenery and relief from the heat, check out the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway with their special summer pass with unlimited tram admission through August. Hiking, nature walks, camping, restaurants, museum theatre, and shopping. During August, all qualified first responders receive free admission as part of First Responders Day. (They close for annual maintenance September 9 through 29, so get up there soon!) pstramway.com

Leather News:

Hosted by the Palm Springs Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Mr. Leather Indulgence Weekend takes place on Saturday, August 24. The feeder contest for Mr. Palm Springs Leather, the new Eagle 501 Bar in Palm Springs is where it’s all happening! This year’s contest includes a Victory Pool Party, on Sunday, August 25 featuring a BBQ and libations at Triangle Inn. pssisters.org.

Interested in running for a leather title? Contact the Palm Springs Band of Brothers! psbandofbrothers.com

Need a job? Mark your calendars for the Valleywide Employment Expo on Thursday, September 12 at the special events center inside Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. desertjobexpo.com

Does that mean summer is almost over?

Nah… We go year-round here!