GO: MARX BROTHERS COLLECTION / THROUGH 2019
Bill Marx, the son of Harpo Marx, loans a stunning array of memorabilia from his famous family to the Rancho Mirage Public Library with the hope of revealing a powerful legacy. ranchomiragepubliclibrary.org or harposplace.com
• Read Our Interview With Bill Marx, Who Talks About Creating Music With His Father.
GO: STEVEN FALES, CONFESSIONS OF A MORMAN BOY / THROUGH JAN. 2020
Steven Fales is launching a five-month residency at Hotel Zoso with its “Storytelling Tuesdays” series. Previews begin Sept. 10, leading up to a lavish opening night event Oct. 22. The one-man show tells the story of wha happened to Fales and his gay brothers and sisters in the Mormon Church at the turn of the millennium. mormonboyexperience.com
• Read Our Q&A Interview with Steven Fales.
GO: REACH FOR THE SKY:TRADITION + INSPIRATION / THROUGH JUNE 2020
Music legend Herb Alpert has created totem pole art after being inspired by the work of the Hunt family, and Sunnylands has brought both collections together to display in Rancho Mirage. or the first time in the United States, the new Sunnylands exhibition brings together three generations of Kwakiutl art representing the Northwest Coast’s most significant carving family: Henry Hunt, his son Stanley, and grandson Jason. sunnylands.org
• What You Will See at the Exhibit.
GO: ELECTRICITY PLAY / through NOV. 26
Two once closeted men share a hotel room after their 10th high school reunion in 1983. There’s an “electricity” that draws them back to that same room after each reunion for 4 decades. Their journey is our story. It’s funny, romantic and powerful. electricitytheplay.com
GO: 12 ANGRY MEN AT DESERT THEATRE WORKS / OCT. 4-13
Desert Theatreworks opens its season with a classic, 12 Angry Men. The stakes are high in this classic courtroom drama set in a New York Jury room in the late 1950’s on a very hot summer day, where a jury of twelve men are deciding the fate of a teenager. dtworks.org
GO: Die, Mommie, Die at Desert Rose Playhouse / OCT. 4
Ex-cabaret siren Angela Arden is no longer in love with her husband, and is disconnected from her children. In an attempt to escape her marriage so that she can be with a hunky layabout, she poisons her husband. desertroseplayhouse.org
Go: Highway 62 Open Studio Art Tours / Oct. 12–13 and 19–20
Now in its 18th year, the Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council’s popular program allows art connoisseurs and collectors to explore more than 100 private studios throughout the Morongo Basin. At each stop on your self-guided tour, you’ll have the chance to chat with artists and purchase their works. hwy62arttours.org
GO: The CV Indie Film Awards / Oct. 7
This red-carpet bash fêtes the movers, shakers, and creators of the Coachella Valley’s small but growing film industry. Scoop up tickets to the hometown Oscars-inspired event to enjoy a buffet dinner and live entertainment, and see which indie artists scored awards from online voters and a panel of film professionals. cvindiefilmawards.com
GO: SQUEEZE MY CANS / OCT. 7-8
Equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and horrifying, award-winning Squeeze My Cans is one woman’s rollercoaster ride down the rabbit hole of Scientology. dezartperforms.org
• Read the Backstory Behind This One-Woman Show.
Go: Flying Legends of Victory Tour / Oct. 7–13
A cheekily decorated B-17 (a 1950s-style pin-up girl peeks at you from the plane’s flank) appears at the Palm Springs Air Museum, giving citizens the opportunity to tour and even ride in this piece of history. palmspringsairmuseum.org
Groove: Neon Indian / Oct. 10
Mexican-American musician Alan Palomo is the brains behind Neon Indian’s dreamy, synth-heavy sound. Chill out to that signature brand of “chillwave” at Pappy & Harriet’s. pappyandharriets.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PAPPY & HARRIETS
Groove: Joshua Tree Music Festival / Oct. 10–13
Artists (including headliners North Mississippi Allstars, The California Honeydrops, Yak Attack, The HU, and Gato Preto) perform on two stages at Joshua Tree Lake Campground. The festival also features a global market and large-scale art installations and offers a robust schedule of yoga sessions, healing workshops, and fun activities designed for kids. joshuatreemusicfestival.com
Groove: Experience Hendrix / Oct. 11
The Experience Hendrix tour pays tribute to one of history’s most legendary guitar phenoms at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. The band’s lineup includes bassist Billy Cox, who took the stage alongside Hendrix himself at Woodstock in 1969. fantasyspringsresort.com
GO: PAINT EL PASEO PINK / OCT. 12
The 13th Annual Paint El Paseo Pink walk for breast cancer awareness will take place at 8 a.m. The walk includes live music and DJ’s along the way. There will also be various stopping points hosted by merchants and event sponsors. desertcancerfoundation.org
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY DESERT CANCER FOUNDATION
Go: Rumpelstiltskin / Oct. 12
For their eighth annual family fun day, the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert presents a version of this classic German fairytale that invites audiences to participate in the telling. Food and activities follow the performance. mccallumtheatre.com
GROOVE: We Will Rock You / Oct. 12
This jukebox musical will appeal to fans of sci-fi, dystopian fiction, and, of course, Queen. The award-winning tale of the free-thinking Bohemians’ battle against the diversity-averse Killer Queen comes to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. fantasyspringsresort.com
GROOVE: Tejano Music Fest / Oct. 12
Tejano Highway 281, Grupo Atrapado, Jr. Gomez y Los Conjunto Bandits, and Grupo Uniko form the lineup at this spirited festival dedicated to Tex-Mex music. The all-ages event at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Cathedral City also includes vendors, food, and refreshments, and admission and parking are free. tejanomusicfest.com
GO: Tyler Henry / Oct. 12
The star of E!’s Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry offers Agua Caliente Casino audiences the chance to experience the clairvoyant powers endorsed by the Kardashians, Chad Michael Murray, and other celebrities. aguacalientecasinos.com
GO: CROPTOBER AT THE LEAF EL PASEO / OCT. 12-13, 19-20, 25-26
The Leaf El Paseo celebrates the cannabis harvest with its inaugural ‘Croptober’ festivities taking place throughout October. The event will bring together some of the industry’s best cultivators, and willl feature product specials, games, and prizes. leafelpaseo.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE LEAF EL PASEO