georgia on my mind

55 Things to Do in February

Two of the big draws of the year happen in February, Modernism Week and Tour de Palm Springs, while Rancho Mirage hosts its Wine and Food Festival.

Amelia Rodriguez Attractions, Current Guide

georgia on my mind
This celebratory show at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage features hits from the legendary Ray Charles.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY AGUA CALIENTE CASINO RESORT SPA
Modernism Week / Feb. 13–23

Every February, design buffs flock to the desert for a valley-wide celebration (think: tours, lectures, parties, and more) of all things mid-mod.

One of the week’s most exciting events launches it: an out-of-this-world kickoff party playfully dubbed Space Modyssey. “We’re going to transform 20,000 square feet of space into an incredible environment that is intergalactic in nature,” says party planner Frank Goldstin.

The theme was inspired by the affair’s location at the Palm Springs Air Museum, and the night’s entertainment — a David Bowie tribute extravaganza called Space Oddity — powers up the same retro-futurist aesthetic.

David Brighton, who plays Bowie, views Palm Springs as the perfect place to, well, space out. “Something about UFOs and the desert [seems] tied together,” he says. “And since it’s an artistic community, we will really be able to delve into [Bowie’s] artistry.”

• READ NEXT: David Brighton Reveals How He Cha-Cha-Changed Into David Bowie.

Golstin encourages attendees to dress a little starry themselves. “It’s an incredible, immersive experience,” he says. “You’ll find that many people come attired towards the theme. It brings a great deal of excitement to the evening — [which is] designed to surprise and delight you at every step.” modernismweek.com

Finesse / Feb. 1

Now in its 22nd year, the Gardens on El Paseo’s charity concert series has drummed up more than $1 million for local nonprofits with eats, sips, and songs on the lawn in front of Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Desert. This month’s show features cover band Finesse and benefits Guide Dogs of the Desert. thegardensonelpaseo.com

The Big Broadway Singalong Too / Feb. 1

Desert Theatreworks’ fundraising extravaganza offers Broadway fans the chance to belt out their favorites sans stage fright. Cabaret singers lead the crowd in a joyful group singalong. There’s also a dinner, silent auction, and raffle. dtworks.org

La Quinta Book Fest / Feb. 1

Isabel Quintero, Aminder Dhaliwal, and other authors arrive at the La Quinta Library for panels, signings, and more at this free festival. Attend panels on writing, books as social commentary, graphic novels, and libraries, plus a special exhibit on the history of the American public library. lqbookfest.blogspot.com

Pedro Fernández / Feb. 1

In the 43 years since this Jalisco-born star began his career (as 7-year-old Pedrito), he’s recorded 39 albums and made appearances in 25 films. Hear Latin Grammy–winning tunes like “Amarte a la Antigua” and “Cachito de Cielo” at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio. fantasyspringsresort.com

PedroFernandez

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO

Grammy Award-winning Ranchera and Mariachi star Pedro Fernández remains one of Mexico’s most enduring cultural treasures.

Art on Main Street / Feb. 1, 15

More than 100 artists vend paintings, ceramics, jewelry, and more in Old Town La Quinta, a charming collection of restaurants and boutiques designed to reflect the lively but peaceful city centers of Europe and Northern California. oldtownlaquinta.com

Palm Springs Vintage Market / Feb. 2, 16

With an atmosphere similar to the legendary Rose Bowl Flea Market in Los Angeles, the Palm Springs Vintage Market is a go-to destination for desert treasure hunters seeking retro furniture, homewares, décor, art, clothing, and jewelry. palmspringsvintagemarket.com

Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel / Feb. 3

Jeffrey Siegel is a piano man with the gift of gab — he furnishes his catalog of melodic classics with commentary on the origins and importance of each song and its composer. His latest concert at the McCallum Theatre celebrates some of music’s most beloved greats, including Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Stenhammar. mccallumtheatre.com

Shoshana Bean / Feb. 4

With a voice that’s soared on Broadway stages as Shelley in Hairspray and Elphaba in Wicked, Shoshana Bean croons tunes from her Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra–inspired album Spectrum (2018) at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. mccallumtheatre.com

Shoshana Bean

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MCCALLUM THEATRE

Shoshana Bean

Wild Coachella: History of Joshua Tree / Feb. 5

It’s undeniable that those spiky Joshua trees are some of the California desert’s most iconic flora. At the University of California, Riverside’s Palm Desert campus, speaker William West shares the history of the trees’ eponymous national park. palmdesert.ucr.edu

joshua tree history

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY GETTY IMAGES

Top of the World / Feb. 6

The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert presents this tribute to the sweet songs of sibling duo Karen and Richard Carpenter, including fan favorites “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” the latter of which nabbed a Grammy in 1970 despite contemporary critics’ now-heavily contested view of the pair’s music as too “bland” and “squeaky-clean.” mccallumtheatre.com

One of These Nights / Feb. 7

A groovy Eagles tribute group appears at Spotlight 29 Casino in a series aptly titled “The Next Best Thing.” Sing along to the record-busting ballads that made the band’s Greatest Hits (1971–1975) the No. 1 best-selling album of all time in America. spotlight29.com

Tour de Palm Springs / Feb. 7-8

One of the largest cycling charity events of its kind in America, Tour de Palm Springs has distributed nearly $4 million to over 150 local nonprofit organizations. Every year the event entertains between 6,000 to 10,000 cyclists from 46 different states including 4 countries. tourdepalmsprings.com

tourdepalmsprings

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY TOUR DE PALM SPRINGS

The chairity ride has raised $4 million since 1998.

Beautiful / Feb. 7–9

This stunning jukebox musical gives McCallum Theatre audiences the chance to journey alongside singer Carole King, from her teenage forays into Manhattan to sell her songs to the recording of her acclaimed album Tapestry (1971) and a solo performance at Carnegie Hall. mccallumtheatre.com

Peter White / Feb. 8

Smooth jazz guitarist Peter White got his start accompanying British folk revival icon Al Stewart. Now a Billboard Jazz Chart–topping artist, White stops by the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage as part of their popular Grooves at the Westin series. groovesatthewestin.com

Palm Desert Half Marathon / Feb. 9

Beginning and ending at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park, the oldest half-marathon in the Coachella Valley offers a relay option, plus a low-key 5K for those seeking a shorter-distance race and a 1K for the kiddos. Make sure to stick around after the race for energy-restoring eats and some suds in the beer garden. palmdeserthalfmarathon.com

Mozart Group / Feb. 11

Only the string skills are serious at this show at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. Poland-based quartet the MozART Group plays classical tunes with a comedic edge (think: playful props and sound effects Wolfgang Amadeus probably never intended). mccallumtheatre.com

Renée Fleming / Feb. 12

Julliard-educated opera star Renée Fleming stands among musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and Beyoncé as one of the artists to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl (in fact, she’s the only classical singer ever to do so). Hear her soaring soprano at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com

Renee Fleming

PHOTOGRAPH BY TIMOTHY WHITE / MCCALLUM THEATRE

Renée Fleming

Art Palm Springs/ FEB, 13-17

Art Palms Springs returns to the Palm Springs Convention Center for its ninth edition with an opening night preview on Feb. 13, and runs through Feb. 17. Art collector Jordan Schnitzer is being honored as 2020 Patron of the Year, while the 2020 Icon Award is going to Los Angeles-based painter, sculptor Chuck Arnoldi. art-palmsprings.com

Cirque Éloize / Feb. 13

This contemporary dance and circus company uses music and movement in addition to narration to draw McCallum Theatre audiences into a colorful love story set at an elegant hotel full of intriguing travelers and staff. mccallumtheatre.com

Keith Sweat, 112, and Next / Feb. 14

The “R” in R&B stands for romance with this triple-threat show at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. “Make It Last Forever” singer Keith Sweat, Grammy-winning quartet 112, and “Too Close” crooners Next serenade audiences with their sleekest love songs. aguacalientecasinos.com

Queen of Soul / Feb. 14

One of Spotlight 29 Casino’s “Next Best Thing” tribute concert installments, this homage to Aretha Franklin celebrates the soulful hits of the Memphis-born icon who Rolling Stone declared the No. 1 greatest singer of all time. spotlight29.com

spotlight 29 casino

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SPOTLIGHT 29

Queen of Soul

Valentine’s Day Hike / Feb. 14

Show your love for nature at Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Grab your bae and lace up your hiking boots for a guided Valentine’s Day trek complete with facts about local flora and fauna’s own ways of romancing. desertmountains.org

Modernism Show & Sale / Feb. 14-17

Modernism Show & Sale marks its 20th year featuring more than 90 premier national and international decorative and fine arts dealers with items representing all design movements of the 20th Century and select 21st century items. Produced by Dolphin Promotions, which organizes antiques, art and design shows across the nation, last year’s Palm Springs event drew over 14,000 attendees. A special preview party on Feb. 14 offers a sneak peek before the show opens to the public. modernismweek.com.

Frank: The Man … The Music / Feb. 14–15

Bob Anderson honors the American (and Palm Springs) icon known as Ol’ Blue Eyes. With expertly applied prosthetic makeup and a voice to please even the most ardent Sinatra fan, Anderson performs “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” and more at the McCallum Theatre. mccallumtheatre.com

Air Supply / Feb. 15

In 1975, a production of Jesus Christ Superstar brought together Chrissie Hammond, Russell Hitchcock, and Graham Russell — and a group of Australian Recording Industry Association hall-of-famers was born. Now a duo consisting of Hitchcock and Russell, the “Making Love Out of Nothing” singers play at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. aguacalientecasinos.com

Air Supply

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY AGUA CALIENTE CASINO

Air Supply

5K Run/Walk for Kids / Feb. 15

Help stomp out childhood cancer by putting your feet to the pavement in a 5K race at Rancho Mirage Community Park. The charity event also features vendors (including a food court to beat post-run munchies), entertainment, and a playzone for kids. desistrong.org

Michael Griffiths / Feb. 16

Cabaret performer Michael Griffiths wears many hats — a fact he proves with two tribute concerts to two different artists in a single day at the McCallum Theatre. Tune into Griffiths’ vibrant rendition of the ballads of Broadway songwriter Cole Griffiths, or watch him embody Madonna, sans costumes or gimmicks. mccallumtheatre.com

The TEN Tenors / Feb. 19–23

The McCallum Theatre’s most popular act makes a much-anticipated return to the Palm Desert cultural outpost, singing of romance, delight, and devotion with their new show “Love Is in the Air.” mccallumtheatre.com

Danny Vernon / Feb. 21

Fans of the King can’t help falling in love with Elvis tribute artist Danny Vernon. Head to Spotlight 29 Casino in Indio for a show that will make you say, “There’s good rockin’ tonight.” spotlight29.com

Arrival / Feb. 21

This talented group of Swedish songsters have been honoring the original dancing queens for nearly 15 years. Killer costumes and groovy hairdos enhance the ABBA-licious experience of seeing tunes like “Mamma Mia,” “Super Trouper,” and more played live at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. aguacalientecasinos.com

Georgia on My Mind / Feb. 22

Blind musical virtuoso Ray Charles was a forefather of soul and, according to Frank Sinatra, “the only true genius in show business.” This celebratory show at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage features Emmy and Grammy-winning artists performing some of Charles’ top tunes. aguacalientecasinos.com

Desert Woman’s Show & Greater Palm Springs Food and Wine / Feb. 22

The free woman’s expo at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa focus on empowering, educating, and entertaining women with health and beauty seminars, local vendors, and fashion shows. A $20 tasting wristband grants access to the attached food and wine event, where local restaurants offer delicious samples and sips. desertwomansshow.com

Sheryl Crow / Feb. 22

“Run Baby Run” to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for a hit-packed performance by Sheryl Crow. Crow backed Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder and penned ditties for Celine Dion and Tina Turner before rising to fame with her debut album Tuesday Night Music Club (1993) and the fan favorite “All I Wanna Do.” fantasyspringsresort.com

Sheryl Crow

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FANTASY SPRINGS

Sheryl Crow

Palm Desert Greek Festival / Feb. 22–23

St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Palm Desert hosts this colorful fest celebrating all things Athenian. Get your mousaka and baklava fix before browsing the Greek art, souvenirs, and religious items on offer or breaking it down with the Greek folk dance performers. pdgreekfest.org

Burton Cummings / Feb. 24

Fans of Canadian rock band The Guess Who (whose first 1968 album was a double-sided, Coca Cola–advert LP dubbed A Wild Pair that could be purchased for the price of 10 Coke caps and a buck for shipping) will flock to the McCallum Theatre for an appearance by the group’s former lead singer. mccallumtheatre.com

Judy Collins / Feb. 25

Judy Collins’ clear-voiced renditions of other artist’s compositions brought early attention to such denizens of the folk canon as Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. She is joined on the McCallum Theatre stage by Kirsten Maxwell, an emerging New York-born folkster. mccallumtheatre.com

Judy Collins

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MCCALLUM THEATRE

Judy Collins

The Doo Wop Project / Feb. 26

The Doo Wop Project is just what it sounds like: a trip through the most iconic bops of the doo wop genre, courtesy a group of suave singers who formerly starred in Jersey Boys, Motown: The Musical, and A Bronx Tale. Hop over to the McCallum Theatre to watch the men croon their way through favorites by everyone from The Flamingos to The Temptations to Michael Jackson. mccallumtheatre.com

Hollywood Revisited / Feb. 26

The glitz and glamour of the silver screen comes to the Helene Galen Auditorium in Rancho Mirage for this musical and costume revue benefitting Tools For Tomorrow, an organization that provides arts enrichment programs for Coachella Valley school children. toolsfortomorrow.org

Legends in Concert: The Divas / Feb. 27

The McCallum Theatre plays host to three tribute artists emulating some of the most celebrated female powerhouses of all time: Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Barbra Streisand. mccallumtheatre.com

Michael Feinstein /Feb. 28

As a key architect of the Great American Songbook, singer and pianist Michael Feinstein is one of the major arbiters of our country’s music history. He presents selections from the Songbook at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. mccallumtheatre.com

Cherry Cherry / Feb. 28

Named after the 1966 hit Neil Diamond wrote about his relationship with a much older woman, Cherry Cherry is a tribute act to the Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter who began as a college dropout penning tunes above New York City’s Birdland Club and eventually became one of the best-selling artists of all time. Hear “I’ve Been This Way Before,” “Yesterday’s Songs,” and more at Spotlight 29 Casino. spotlight29.com

Cherry Cherry band

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SPOTLIGHT 29

Cherry Cherry

The Righteous Brothers / Feb. 28

Things are about to get righteous at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Talented tenor Bucky Heard stands in for original member Bobby Hatfield alongside charming baritone Bill Medley to play tunes like the 1964 sensation “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” fantasyspringsresort.com

Rancho Mirage Wine & Food Festival / Feb. 28–29

Oenophiles of all stripes head to the Rancho Mirage Community Park for two days of tastings that showcase the best of California wine and desert dining establishments. There’s also live music, vino-related vendors, and a silent auction to support local nonprofits. ranchomiragewineandfoodfestival.com

Rancho Mirage Food and Wine

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY RANCHO MIRAGE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Rancho Mirage Wine & Food Festival

A Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald / Feb. 29

Hello, Ella! Multiple performers represent the varied eras of Miss Fitzgerald’s career, taking McCallum Theatre audiences on a musical odyssey through the life of the First Lady of Song. mccallumtheatre.com

Wildflower 5K Trail Fun Run/Walk / Feb. 29

Sprint (or stroll) into spring at the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitors Center, where all ages (but no strollers or pups) are welcome to join in on this short race on a trail framed by breathtaking desert wildflowers. desertmountains.org

Michael Bolton / Feb. 29

Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage presents a special concert in which Michael Bolton sings alongside a symphony orchestra. A genre-buster if there ever was one, Bolton started out playing heavy metal and transitioned to the pop-rock ballads we know and love in the late 1980s. aguacalientecasinos.com

Michael Bolton

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MCCALLUM THEATRE

Michael Bolton

Theater

Escape to Margaritaville / Through Feb. 2

Waste away an evening at the McCallum Theatre, where a dedicated researcher, a playboy bartender, and their friends find romance, treasure, and their long-lost shaker of salt during a weeklong island romp in this lighthearted jukebox musical featuring Jimmy Buffet songs. mccallumtheatre.com

Adoption Roulette / Through Feb. 2

Elizbeth Fuller and Joel Vig’s harrowing experiences in Moscow as they attempted to adopt a little girl provide the true-life basis for this new play. See the world premiere at the Pearl McManus Theatre in Palm Springs. detctheatre.org

Those Musclebound Cowboys from Snake Pit Gulch / Through Feb. 9

Desert Rose Playhouse in Rancho Mirage lassoes in audiences with this cheeky, modern take on the American western, in which an east coast detective disguises himself as a woman for an investigation and finds himself fighting crime — and falling in love — in the all-men gold rush town of Snake Pit Gulch. desertroseplayhouse.org

Camelot / Through Feb. 9

The writers of My Fair Lady penned this classic King Arthur musical, which featured Richard Burton and Julie Andrews in its original cast when it opened on Broadway in 1960. Take your own seat at the round table at Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs. palmcanyontheatre.com

Ballroom / Through Feb. 16

The Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre worked with Ballroom’s original authors to breathe new life — including three brand-new songs and several others that were previously cut before they reached the stage — into the 1976 Broadway musical about love at a dance hall. cvrep.org

Rumors / Feb. 7–March 1

Join Desert Theatreworks at the zany, mystery-packed anniversary party of the deputy mayor and his missing wife by Bronx-born playwright Neil Simon. dtworks.org

coachella valley repertory

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CVREP

Ballroom

Art Exhibitions

Alexander Girard: A Designer’s Universe / Through March 1

Girard wore many hats in the world of design — buildings, furniture, fabrics, and more all bear his mark. More than 400 objects, plus a replica of one of his celebrated interiors, bring the artist’s unique sense of whimsy to the galleries of the Palm Springs Art Museum. psmuseum.org

Imaging Change: History, Memory, and Social Justice / Through April 5

Inspired by Dawoud Bey’s moving photographic series honoring and remembering the six children who were murdered by white supremacists in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sep. 15, 1963, this exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum features artists whose photos engage with the past, the contemporary moment, and the need for a different future. psmuseum.org

Lino Tagliapietra: Il Deserto Fiorito / Through April 12

Renowned Italian glassblower (and mentor to American glass master Dale Chihuly) Lino Taliapietra exhibits more than 30 vibrant glass sculptures at the Palm Springs Art Museum. psmueum.org

lino tagliapietra

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM

Lino Tagliapietra

Reach for the Sky: Tradition + Inspiration / Through June 7

A striking 30-foot-tall totem pole has greeted visitors to Walter and Leonore Anneberg’s Rancho Mirage estate, Sunnylands, since 1978. Carved by indigenous artist Henry Hunt and later restored by his son Stan and grandson Jason, the totem pole serves as the focal point for a new exhibition featuring work by the Hunts and American sculptor Herb Alpert. sunnylands.org