April 3 Daily Briefing: Surprise invitation, library funding addressed, city symposium, and more
Today we report on a special moment for high school musicians that took place Wednesday evening, tell you about an upcoming architecture event, and look at how federal funding cuts might impact the city’s library.
Happy Thursday and happy National Find a Rainbow Day! According to the National Day Calendar website, while the origins are a bit of a mystery, April 3 has been set aside to encourage people to search the skies for a hopeful burst of color. In Palm Springs, you won’t have to look far to see rainbows — we’ve got rainbow flags flying everywhere! You could also look at this newsletter, where we use the rainbow emoji in the subject line every Thursday to say that the weekend is just over the rainbow.
🎶 Setting the mood: “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward
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LEADING OFF
Marching band receives surprise invitation to perform in Rome
Palm Springs High School band members received a big surprise Wednesday evening when an international event organizer spoke during a break in their Spring Fling concert with news of an invitation to Italy.
Driving the news: Bob Bone, managing director and co-founder of Destination Events, traveled to Palm Springs to invite the Spirit of the Sands Marching Band to participate in Rome’s New Year celebrations as 2025 turns to 2026.
- The announcement was made as a surprise in the middle of the students’ spring concert at the Richards Center for the Arts at Palm Springs High School.
By the numbers: The Rome New Year celebration will mark its 20th anniversary in 2026, attracting approximately 250,000 spectators to watch performers from around the world.
The details: The parade route winds through Rome’s historic center, beginning at Villa Borghese and passing landmarks including Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, and Via del Corso.
- “The Romans come out to see you,” Bone said. “They just love meeting and hearing the young musicians from the United States of America.”
Beyond the parade: The students will have opportunities to perform concerts at historic venues throughout Rome, with their performances broadcast internationally, including on PBS stations across the United States.
What’s ahead: Matt Ingelson, director of bands at the high school, will lead the students during the weeklong cultural immersion, which includes visits to iconic sites such as the Colosseum, Vatican, and a day trip to Pompeii.
Worth noting: This isn’t the band’s first international performance — it previously participated in other Destination Events productions in Europe, including London’s New Year’s Day Parade.
BRIEFLY
🏛️ Library budget secure despite federal push to eliminate key support
The Palm Springs Public Library is about to start work on a $40 million renovation, so the timing couldn’t be worse for the federal government to make moves to shut down the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and put its 70-person staff on leave for up to 90 days.
- City staff said at Wednesday’s Library Board of Trustees meeting that crucial funds for the renovation are safe. Some funds for the project are coming from a state grant. And although many state grants are funded by federal grants, “We don’t have any federal grants at this time,” said Director of Library Services Jeannie Kays.
- Federal funding has been instrumental for the library in the past, providing hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Accessing the Past Digital History Collaborative. One part of that project was the digitization of The Desert Sun newspaper archive from 1934 to 1989.
- Looking ahead: Kays said future federal funding is currently in question. “There’s nothing, no correspondence. All grants are stuck,” she said. “There’s nothing going on.”
TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS
Desert X
The fifth edition of Desert X, the recurring site-specific, international art exhibition is open now through May 11. Find the map of installations on the Desert X website.
Pre-Shredding Drop Off
8 a.m. | City Hall
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. drop off paper waste for shredding in secure bins placed inside City Hall. No bulky items will be accepted during pre-shredding.
Art Museum Free Admission
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, and explore the collection at your own pace.
Public Arts Commission
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
Commissioners will hear several updates on ongoing projects according to the agenda.
Queer Pages: Unbound Perspectives on Love and Desire
6 p.m. | The Center
Join The Center for Queer Pages: Unbound Perspectives on Love and Desire, a weekly gathering where we dive into a series of readings that challenges heteronormative narratives and uplifts the diverse experiences of queer, trans, and people of color (QTPOC) in exploring relationships and sexuality.
VillageFest
6 p.m. until 10 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs
Weather permitting, the street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food.
Palms Springs Speaks Presents: Mary Louise Kelly of NPR
7 p.m. | Cultural Center
The final event of season six of Palm Springs Speaks features award-winning journalist and author Mary Louise Kelly. As co-host of NPR’s flagship news program, All Things Considered, Kelly brings unparalleled insight into global affairs, having spent a decade as NPR’s national security correspondent. ($45)
SAVE THE DATE
- Fuse – Opening Reception at Janssen Artspace on Saturday.
- Yoga Workshop: Pickleball Injury Prevention and Recovery at Khaga Yoga Palm Springs on Saturday.
- Coachella Valley Has Sole Shoe Drive at the Living Desert on Saturday.
- Free Shredding Event at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday.
- Opera in the Park at Sunrise Park on Sunday.
- World Art Day at the Downtown Park on April 12.
- Self-Advocacy in Healthcare Conference at the Mizell Center on April 19.
- PS Gay Men’s Chorus “Disney Pride In Concert“ starting April 24. ($35)
- 2025 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival starting May 8. ($17)
AND FINALLY …
Palm Springs will celebrate its architectural heritage this month with a free symposium dedicated to the city’s distinctive Desert Modernism style. The event will allow residents and visitors to learn more about the buildings that have made the city an international design destination.
Driving the news: The Historic Site Preservation Board will present its 10th annual Preservation Matters Symposium on April 26 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, focused on “Desert Modernism – The Palm Springs School.”
- The event will feature presentations by scholars and practitioners exploring the history and development of Palm Springs’ mid-century architecture, along with displays of student-designed architectural models.
Why it matters: “Palm Springs is an international destination for architectural aficionados,” said Mayor Ron deHarte. “Preserving the unique architectural heritage of Palm Springs is essential to maintaining the character and charm of our community and global appeal.”
How to attend: The symposium is free and open to the public from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. You can register online here.
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