White Party Has Eye Popping Change This Year

It’s a party guaranteed to be white-hot — and not because it takes place in the desert. The 23rd Annual White Party is underway in Palm Springs.

“It’s more turned into a music festival, a dance party music festival. I kind of like to call it Gay Coachella,” White Party founder Jeffrey Sanker said. “About 23 years ago, I decided to bring about 500 of my closest friends to the desert, and 23 years later we have 30,000 of sort of my closest friends.”

“It brings in people from all over the world, not just locally in California but everywhere from New York to England and London. They bring some of the best international DJ’s from all over the world,” Ed Connolly, who is attending the White Party, said.

Some people have been coming to the White Party for years, for the elements they love. This year, organizers are adding a new dimension, though.

“3D is the hot theme of the year, so everyone is getting 3D glasses when they go to the Convention Center (for the big party Saturday night). They’re going to have a virtual 3D experience,” Sanker said.

Hip-hop singer Mary J. Blige headlines that party. On Sunday, Lisa Vanderpump -who costars on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” – will be crowned “Queen of the White Party”.

Clearly, a weekend with only one thing on the agenda — fun.

Locals say they feel blessed to live in a place that provides incessant acceptance.

“We just recently moved here from Colorado about two years ago. Definitely living in Palm Springs has always been a warming place and that’s why we decided to live here,” Connolly said.

Here, a place where action is never on short supply.