Cinema Diverse screens the best offerings from LGBTQ filmmakers to top the Things to Do list in the desert, along with Night Sky Festival, and checking out the latest line of BMW cars and bikes.
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 began Sept. 10, leading up to a lavish opening-night event Oct. 22. The one-man show tells the story of what happened to Fales and his gay brothers and sisters in the Mormon Church at the turn of the millennium. mormonboyexperience.com
GO: REACH FOR THE SKY:TRADITION + INSPIRATION / SEPT. 11 - 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
GO: ELECTRICITY PLAY / sept. 17 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 four decades. Their journey is our story. It’s funny, romantic and powerful. electricitytheplay.com
WATCH And EAT: CULINARY CINEMA / SEPT. 18
Palm Springs Cultural Center has partnered with accomplished filmmaker Petra Haffter for this new culinary cinema program. Travel around the world while tasting mouthwatering dainties from the most memorable food movies. Watch the film Mostly Martha. The darling of the culinary scene in Hamburg, there is a gap between Martha’s exquisite food and her unforgiving rigid personality. What could be better than to continue the Italian adventure with a warm taste of a Sicilian family prepared by Chef Teresa at Il Giardino. psculturalcenter.org
GO: CINEMA DIVERSE - THE LGBTQ FILM FESTIVAL / SEPT. 19-22
Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival celebrates its’ 12th anniversary at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. The festival will run for two weekends: Sept. 19 through the 22 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center and Sept. 27-28 at the Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City. Each weekend will feature original content as well as question and answer sessions with the filmmakers. psculturalcenter.org/filmfest
• Read out previews of two films, Cohibernation and Steam Room Stories: The Movie.
WATCH: THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY / SEPT. 20-22
Desert Theatreworks opens its 2019-20 season with this comedy involving four Southern women all needing to escape from their mundane daily lives. Runs through Sept. 22. dtworks.org
WATCH: PETER PAN / SEPT. 20-29
Peter Pan tells the classic J.M. Barrie tale of a young boy who refuses to grow up. On a quest to find stories with which to entertain his young cohorts in Neverland — an island refuge for “Lost Boys” — Peter returns to the real world. palmcanyontheatre.org
WATCH: WOMEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE FILM FESTIVAL / SEPT. 20-22
New talent and programming has been added to the inaugural Women Under the Influence three-day film festival, WUTI Goes IdyllWILD. Women Under the Influence is a community, founded in 2015 by director Tabitha Denholm, committed to raising awareness of female directors and their stories. wutigoesidyllwild.com
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY WUTI
GO: DAY OF BEAUTY / SEPT. 21
Everybody loves a luau! Bring a friend and plan to join Contour Dermatology for a special Day of Beauty on Sept. 21 with its best prices of the year onits most popular cosmetic treatments and skin care products. You will also enjoy live demonstrations, raffle prizes, hors’ d’oeuvres and Champagne and Mimosas. contourderm.com
WATCH: NIGHT SKY FESTival / SEPT. 21
The fifth annual Night Sky Festival at Sky’s The Limit Observatory & Nature Center, next to the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park in Twentynine Palms, includes a Saturday night star party with astronomers and telescopes, live music, storytelling, family-friendly daytime activities and youth crafts. skysthelimit29.org
GROOVE: BEATS & BREWS / SEPT. 21
Every attendee at the Saguaro Hotel’s event gets unlimited sampling of craft beer from tiny micro-brewers to the biggest breweries in the industry. pale sles, porters, IPA’s, lagers, pilsners, stouts, and some of the wildest brews you’ve ever tried. thesaguaro.com/palmsprings
GO: NEW BMW CAR & MOTORCYCLE SHOW / sept. 21
Welcome the BMW Clubs’ International Council., who will take over Main Street in La Quinta with their exclusive show. The public is invited to view over 70 amazing BMW cars and bikes and chat with members of the club. eskapade.bmwcca.org
GROOVE: STEELY DAN / SEPT. 21
Known for some of the most sophisticated and catchy songs in the canon of popular music, Steely Dan’s blend of rock, jazz, traditional pop and R&B with erudite lyrics took “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ In The Years,” “Dirty Work,” and many more hits to the realm of classic status. hotwatercasino.com
GO: DESERT ROSE PLAYHOUSE GARDEN PARTY / SEPT. 21
Join us for the second annual Garden Party Fundraiser at the historic Gloria Swanson Estate in Palm Springs. Hors d’oeuvres, live music, bar, silent auction and raffle. Proceeds from the event will go toward funding facility upgrades of the lighting system and lobby at Desert Rose Playhouse. desertroseplayhouseorg
GROOVE: ROB THOMAS / SEPT. 21
Best known as the lead singer and primary composer of Matchbox Twenty, as well as for his multi-platinum solo work and chart-topping collaborations, Thomas’ numerous hits include “Lonely No More,” “This Is How A Heart Breaks,” “Streetcorner Symphony,” “Push,” “3AM,” “If You’re Gone,” and “Bent.” fantasyspringsresort.com
GO: OKTOBERFEST PARKING LOT PARTY / SEPT. 21
Coachella Valley Brewing hosts an OktoberFest party where two new brews will be unveiled along with ganes, giveaways, food by Kuma Catering and eight musical acts. Runs noon to 9 p.m. cvbco.com
GO: JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK ART EXPOSITION / THROUGH SEPT. 29
Artists will participate in an open-air art market accompanied by demonstrations, talks, live music, and special events held at the 29 Palms Art Gallery, 29 Palms Inn, Old Schoolhouse Museum, 29 Palms Creative Center & Gallery, and the Joshua Tree National Park Headquarters & Oasis Visitor Center. jtnparts.org
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FANTASY SPORNGS RESORT CASINO
Rob Thomas
GO: Ross Mathews Presents DragTastic Bubbly Brunch / SEPT. 22
Ross Mathews, the exuberant RuPaul’s Drag Race judge, brings his drag brunch to Moxie Palm Springs featuring drag queens with a variety of talents. When Mathews is not there, he employs a posses of guests hosts. moxiepalmsprings.com