As an official media partner of Greater Palm Springs Pride, The Hollywood Times is proud to spotlight the advocates, leaders, businesses and volunteers being honored during this milestone 40th anniversary year.
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 9/11/26 – Forty years of Pride. Forty years of visibility, advocacy, celebration and community.
Greater Palm Springs Pride is marking its historic 40th anniversary by honoring a remarkable group of individuals and organizations whose dedication has helped strengthen and support the LGBTQ+ community.
The Hollywood Times is proud to once again serve as an official media partner of Greater Palm Springs Pride and to help share the stories of the people who continue to make a difference throughout Palm Springs and beyond.
The 2026 Pride Honors Awards will take place Thursday, September 24, at the Hilton Palm Springs. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the awards ceremony beginning at 6 p.m.
This year’s honorees represent decades of advocacy, community service, volunteerism, leadership and commitment to equality.
André Chambers will receive the Spirit of Pride Award. Chambers is an author, artist, advocate and registered nurse specializing in addiction recovery. His work has also included mentoring within the leather community and advocating for transgender youth. His personal story is featured in the documentary Merman.
Andy Wysocki and Bill Sanderson, co-owners of Townie Bagels, will receive the Business of Pride Award. After moving to Palm Springs in 2007, the pair began selling their bagels at the local Farmers’ Market before opening Townie Bagels in the Warm Sands neighborhood in 2015. Since then, the business has become a familiar part of the Palm Springs community.
The Desert Business Association will receive the Spirit of Stonewall Organization of the Year Award. Founded in 1979, the DBA is one of the nation’s longest-running LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce and today represents more than 375 members.
The organization also has a special connection to the history of Palm Springs Pride. The Desert Business Association helped organize some of the region’s earliest Pride celebrations four decades ago, including indoor “Sizzle” fundraising events before Pride eventually expanded into the major community celebration and parade it is today.
Kristie Dore will receive the Spirit of Stonewall Friend of Pride Award. Dore has served as director of event services at the Palm Springs Convention Center for 13 years and has helped oversee numerous important community events, including the Harvey Milk Breakfast and conferences connected with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. She also serves on the board of the LGBTQ+ Community Center of the Desert.
Leslie Barclay will receive the Community Service Award. Barclay has served as an LGBTQ specialist with Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits since 1994, using corporate relationships and partnerships to support civil rights organizations, community centers, health programs and other LGBTQ+ causes.
Randy Perrin will receive the Spirit of Stonewall Volunteer of the Year Award. Perrin’s dedication to service reaches back to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He later helped establish the Federal GLOBE Southern California Chapter at the IRS and today leads volunteer projects with Gay For Good Palm Springs, including environmental cleanups and other community service efforts.
The 2026 Pride Honors arrive during an especially meaningful year for Palm Springs.
Palm Springs Pride traces its roots to 1986. What began as a much smaller local gathering has grown into one of the desert’s most recognizable celebrations of LGBTQ+ visibility, equality and community.
Four decades later, Pride remains both a celebration and a reminder of the people who have worked tirelessly to create change, build community and ensure that future generations can live openly and proudly.
The 2026 Pride Honors recipients are an important part of that continuing story.
The Hollywood Times is honored to stand alongside Greater Palm Springs Pride as a media partner during this landmark anniversary and looks forward to celebrating Pride throughout the 2026 season.
The 2026 Pride Honors Awards will be held Thursday, September 24, at the Hilton Palm Springs. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m.
Tickets and additional information are available through Greater Palm Springs Pride at pspride.org.
