Several gay pride celebrations held this weekend in Palm Springs
Several events are planned for Friday and this weekend for the 27th annual Greater Palm Springs Pride Celebration.
The Pride Celebration, scheduled through Sunday, includes same-sex weddings at the “Forever Marilyn” statue, performances, a two-day festival and a downtown parade. The theme is “It’s Time.”
The lineup includes:
Palm Springs Pride Golf Classic: 8 a.m. Friday at Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort, 1885 Golf Club Drive, Palm Springs. Four-player scramble, cost includes green fees, cart fees, breakfast and lunch buffet, prizes and a free instructional clinic. Entry is $99 per player, with $10 going to the Pride Fund.
Stonewall Equality Concert: 6 p.m. Friday at Forever Marilyn, 125 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. The free concert will celebrate the recent legalization of same-sex marriage in California, the repeal of DOMA and the progress toward equality for gays and lesbians since the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York. Genres span Broadway, indie and jazz. Performers Irene Soderberg, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Palm Springs, DJ Corey D, Doug Strahm and Arro Verse.
Uptown Design District Chill-out: Friday at 6 p.m. on Alejo Road and Tachevah Drive, Palm Springs. Art, shopping, food and music will be offered in a trendy area of Palm Springs.
Broadway in Drag Pageant: 8 p.m. Friday at Palm Canyon Theatre, 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. Contestants will be judged on evening gown, talent and swimsuit. Admission is $35, $50 for VIP.
Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Annenberg Theater, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs. The cast features local personalities and the show is directed by local producer Keith Coleman. Tickets are $39 and $29.
Front Runners and Walkers 5k Run/Walk: Saturday at 8 a.m. at Palm Springs High School’s stadium, Baristo Road and Farrell Way. Entry is $25, $30 on race day. Discounted entry will be available for students and current members of Palm Springs Front Runners and Walkers.
Free same-sex wedding ceremonies: Saturday at Forever Marilyn. Couples can be married by an officiant between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., registration is required at www.palmspringsgayweddingplanners.com . Ceremonies will be followed by an “equality celebration” at 4:30.
Pride Festival: Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. Palm Springs Stadium, 1901 E. Baristo Road. There will be live music, HIV/AIDS testing by the Desert AIDS Project and more than 120 exhibitors and non-profits. Admission is $15 daily, $25 for a weekend pass, $10 for those 60 and older, youth ages 12 to 18 and students with a current ID.
Pride Parade: Sunday at 10 a.m., starts at West Baristo Road, goes north on Palm Canyon Drive to East Tamarisk Road in Palm Springs. Roughly 50,000 spectators are expected to watch local organizations, activists and themed floats. Grand marshals are blogger Joe Jervis, organizers of Sochi Pride
2014 in Russia, television personality Ross Mathews and activists and volunteers Melanie Jones, Ellen Zimmerman, Mark Jones and Brian Vatcher.
Additionally, several parties are planned Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, go to www.pspride.org.
