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Our LGBTQ+ community is ever-changing here in the Coachella Valley. Businesses come and go. Big tent events like The Dinah and White Party — once dominant national forces — fade away.
In their place, new “things” pop up. Nature abhors a vacuum. This website is marking its 13th year of service. When I began Gay Desert Guide, there was the oversized LIVE Magazine, Desert Daily Guide (people still confuse us two, although we are unrelated), and The Bottom Line.
2026 will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Pride celebration in Palm Springs. At our board meeting of the LGBTQ+ History and Archives Project of the Desert this week, I learned that the Desert Business Association had a hand in it. Billed as “Sizzle,” the inaugural Pride celebration consisted of a dinner and a variety show featuring local entertainers. While the festival began in 1986, the first official Pride Parade did not take place until 1992.
In 2026, Halloween on Arenas will turn 30, the same year as the founding of the Golden Rainbow — what we know today as The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. Streetbar will celebrate 35 this year. The little-known Arenas Road Time Capsule was buried in front of the famed May-December watering hole in 1996. (I would like to see what’s in that time capsule — although I won’t be around to see its scheduled opening 70 years from now.)
Maybe we should have a new time capsule every few decades to mark the changes in our LGBTQ+ community? With the coming and going of businesses (Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon closes this week, and plans are in the works for a new gay bar, for example), our ever-changing LGBTQ scene is worth memorializing.
That’s why I serve on the board of the Archives, and am continually fascinated by what I learn about our “gay” history and how to preserve it. But I’m also proud to be a part of what’s in our future and how to shape it.
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Brad Fuhr, your KGay Desert Guide
#ILoveGayPalmSprings
#ILoveGayCatCity
#ShopLocal
#FindYourOasis
#SayKGAY
#HowDoYouPalmSprings
#SupportYourStation
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This Weekend in #ILoveGayPalmSprings:
Our Top 3 Events
We’re keeping you updated on the weekend’s Top Events! Read our Gay Desert Guide Weekend Blog for the full run-down. Here’s the top three events:
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1. Info-A-Go-Go
Info-A-Go-Go returns on Saturday, January 31 from 11 am–2 pm at Hotel Zoso, bringing together more than 45 LGBTQ+ groups, clubs, organizations, and nonprofits for an afternoon of connection and community. Hosted by The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, this free, high‑energy gathering is designed to help queer and trans residents and allies discover new ways to get involved, build relationships, and strengthen year‑round support networks. John Taylor will be Out and About, broadcasting from the event on KGAY 103.1 from 11 am–2 pm! Also: Stop by the KGAY table to scan a QR code and enter to WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS to Love. Alaska this Sunday at the Plaza Theatre (see below)!
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2. Love, Alaska
On Sunday, February 1 at 7:30 pm, The Plaza Theatre welcomes Alaska for Love, Alaska, an irresistibly offbeat Valentine‑themed evening of music, storytelling, and her signature otherworldly glamour. Joined by her piano‑playing faerie‑witch accompanist Jeremy, Alaska promises a heart‑soothing, soul‑serenading escape during the year’s most romantically intense season. Guests are encouraged to wear red and surrender to the spell.
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3. Tribute Concerts A-Go-Go
Musical salutes take over the valley on Saturday, January 31 with three powerhouse tributes lighting up the desert. So Madonna brings the Queen of Pop’s biggest hits to Pierson Boulevard from 4–8 pm in Desert Hot Springs, while ABBA LA delivers glittering, feel‑good classics at The Gardens on El Paseo beginning at 4:30 pm. The night caps off at the Plaza Theatre at 7:30 pm as 1964: A Tribute to The Beatles recreates the magic of early Beatlemania with remarkable authenticity. (And to keep it going, mark your calendar for this coming Wednesday’s Rock the Park with Bruno & The Hooligans!)
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This week’s HOT DEAL at Hunters Nightclub offers 40% off a $25 gift card—yours for just $15. Use it toward beer, wine, cocktails, and delicious bar bites while soaking up the vibrant energy of Palm Springs. With floor-to-ceiling windows and a lively open atmosphere, Hunters keeps the party flowing inside and out. Stay for the DJs, whose infectious beats and rhythmic flair promise a night of nonstop dancing!
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Note: You are limited to one Hot Deal order per household or address every 28 days.
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Get our Visitor Map & Guide – FREE!
Check out the latest edition of the K-Gay Desert Guide Visitor Map & Guide! To help you find everything you need as a visitor or local, we feature the top places for Food & Drink, Nightlife, Shopping, Attractions, Gay Resorts with passes, Dispensaries, and other services. Look for the latest edition at businesses and newsstands around town, or browse it online right here!
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A Queer View provides compassionate, client‑centered therapy in a safe, affirming space for the LGBTQ2+ community and its allies. Founded by psychotherapist Joseph Voors, AQV’s collective of LGBTQ2+‑identified and allied clinicians offers culturally aware, identity‑focused care that honors each person’s story while supporting healing, resilience, and authentic living. Learn more
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KGAY is now at 103.1 on your FM dial.
Make the move on your presets to 103.1 FM!
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The KGAY 103.1 Retro Lunch airs Monday through Friday from Noon–1 pm, with DJ Galaxy (Vincent Corrales) and DJ Eric Ornelas playing an hour of their high-energy throwback mixes. On Sundays, we put all five hours together for the Retro Sunday Brunch from 11 am–4 pm. Perfect party music! The KGAY Sunday Tea Dance with Modgirl airs every Sunday from 4–6 pm (right after the Retro Brunch). All our DJs took honors in the Best of Coachella Valley this year!
This Weekend: Modgirl brings her signature spark on Saturday, January 31 for a Poolside Saturday set at Ace Hotel & Swim Club, then turns up the heat that evening at 8 pm for SPECTACULAR at The Red Barn in Palm Desert. She closes things out on Sunday, February 1 at 10 am with a bright, beat‑forward A.M. Stream session at Café La Jefa in Palm Springs.
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To listen to KGAY Palm Springs via Alexa, say “Alexa ENABLE K. Gay Palm Springs SKILL” (include “SKILL”) or manually enable it in the Alexa app or at Amazon. Once enabled, access the station by saying “Alexa, OPEN,” “LAUNCH,” or “PLAY K. Gay Palm Springs.” You can also make special requests, such as birthday shoutouts or song dedications! Learn more
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Sunny 106.5 is the Coachella Valley’s new home for feel‑good hits from the ’90s, 2000s, and beyond, pairing bright, familiar favorites with local updates and weekday weather from Patrick Evans. At the same time, KGAY has kicked off the New Year on a stronger, farther‑reaching signal at 103.1 FM, expanding its coverage and adding HD digital sound while continuing to stream worldwide.
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Don’t miss our emails
Here are some methods that should help:
- Move this email to “primary” or “priority” inbox.
- Mark this email as “Not Spam” if you do find it in your Spam folder.
- “Star” the email, mark it as important, and/or create a label for this series of emails.
- Add “info@gaydesertguide.com” to your address book
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Follow us on social to keep in touch with our events and more.
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