April 4 Daily Briefing: Courting Canadians, mapping art, NPR journalist visits, and more

TGIF, everyone, where it looks like another busy weekend ahead. On Saturday, the city is holding a highly-anticipated shredding event at the convention center starting at 8 a.m. (see this flyer for all the details). Meanwhile, at City Hall, organizers are inviting you to join in the nationwide Hands Off! National Day of Action event starting at 10 a.m. (find the details here). To cap things off, there’s the annual Opera in the Park performance at Sunrise Park at 5 p.m. on Sunday (a must see!). Might we suggest you take a break midway between all these events and go see The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Festival Theaters (7 p.m. Saturday night)?

🎶 Setting the mood: “Heart Of Glass” cover by Miley Cyrus

LEADING OFF

City officials, others hoping to send positive message as tensions escalate between U.S., Canada

Palm Springs leaders are scrambling to preserve the city’s Canadian tourism market as diplomatic tensions rise under President Donald Trump’s administration. Hotel cancellations are mounting, and some website traffic from Canada is reportedly down 20%.

Driving the news: Trump’s threats to annex Canada as the “51st state” and implementation of substantial tariffs (25% on most Canadian goods) have soured relations, prompting many Canadian snowbirds to reconsider their traditional winter stays.

• Border issues have worsened, with reports of Canadians being detained for days by ICE and immigration lawyers warning of increased scrutiny.

By the numbers: Canadian visitors comprise just 3.2% of all Palm Springs tourists but punch well above their weight economically.

• A 2017 study found Canadians stayed an average of eight days compared to three for other visitors and spent 93% more per visit.

Why it matters: Local businesses are already feeling the impact. Desert Hand Car Wash owner Bob Smiland noted, “The Canadian business is 30% of my business in the winter. It’s essential we do something significant either as a city or as a valley.”

What they’re doing: Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte said the city has approved “We love Canadians” street banners, while tourism officials are developing initiatives to attract alternative group business.

Behind the scenes: Many Canadians are reportedly selling their second homes, and businesses in Canada are redirecting convention travel to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.

The bottom line: The full economic impact will become clear later this year when transient occupancy tax data and future booking reports become available.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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BRIEFLY

🎨 Arts Commission mapping public art, seeks new locations for stored pieces

The Palm Springs Public Arts Commission is cataloging the city’s public art collection and finding new locations for pieces in storage. 

• At the commission’s regular monthly meeting Thursday evening, Commissioner Natasia Gascon said she had identified more than 150 pieces in the city’s collection while creating comprehensive inventory maps for commission use and public access.
  
• Several significant works are also currently in storage and being considered for placement. Commission Chair Gary Armstrong noted that city leadership prefers placing art in parks and neighborhoods to increase accessibility and that some pieces will need restoration before reinstallation.
  
• Next up: The public map could debut at the city’s World Art Day celebration on April 12. It would show artwork locations with basic information like artist names and installation dates. “It will encourage people to look at the public art we have, walk around, and discover more pieces,” Gascon said.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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YOUR WEEKEND

MULTIPLE DAYS

• “Victor/Victoria” at Palm Canyon Theatre all weekend. ($38)
  
• Desert X at multiple locations, running through May 10.

TODAY

• Foodie Fridays at the Cultural Center from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
  
• Superbloom and New Show at Desert Art Center at 5 p.m.
  
• Hitchcock Retrospective: “The Trouble with Harry” at the Cultural Center at 7 p.m. ($14)
  
• Dolly Parton Tribute at the Cultural Center at 7 p.m. ($40)
  
• Lush Presents Comedy Night at Lush Bar & Lounge at 9 p.m. ($17)

SATURDAY

• Free Shredding Event at the Palm Springs Convention Center starting at 8 a.m.
  
• Certified Farmers’ Market at the Cultural Center starting at 8 a.m.
  
• Coachella Valley Has Sole Shoe Drive at the Living Desert starting at 9 a.m.
  
• Hands Off! Rally Palm Springs at City Hall at 10 a.m.
  
• Palm Springs Genealogical Society at the Palm Springs Library at 10 a.m.
  
• Yoga Workshop: Pickleball Injury Prevention and Recovery at Khaga Yoga Palm Springs at 1 p.m.
  
• Fuse – Opening Reception at Janssen Artspace at 5 p.m.
  
• Faux Fur Ball 2025 at the Palm Springs Air Museum at 6 p.m. ($350)
  
• Rocky Horror Picture Show at Festival Theaters at 7 p.m. ($9-$13)
  
• “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now!” at the Cultural Center at 7 p.m. ($80)
  
• Country Western Dancing at 933 Crossley Road at 7 p.m. ($5)

SUNDAY

• Palm Springs Vintage Market at the Parking lot north of Agua Caliente Casino at 8 a.m. ($5)
  
• Screwball Sunday: “Easy Living” screening with David Kalat at the Cultural Center at 3 p.m. ($14)
  
• Opera in the Park at Sunrise Park at 5 p.m.

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AND FINALLY …

“I’m Mary Louise Kelly”  is heard at the top of the broadcast for NPR’s flagship show, “All Things Considered. ” Last night, hundreds of people turned out to see the author and journalist in person for the finale of the Palm Springs Speaks speaker series. 

Driving the news: Kelly appeared in conversation with local author Kathy Strong to speak about her career as a broadcaster and journalist and discuss her latest book, a memoir titled “It. Goes. So. Fast. A Year of No Do-Overs,” which will be released in paperback on April 8.

Dive deeper: In the book, Kelly comes to grips with some hard truths about children growing up, aging parents, and what she calls act three of her life. She writes about the struggle of juggling her son’s soccer games and interviews with secretaries of state.

What they’re saying: Kelly recalled a moment when she was about to board a Blackhawk helicopter in Baghdad when she got a call that her four-year-old son was sick and having trouble breathing.

• “I went to sleep that night in a triple bunk for the press in one of Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palaces thinking, ‘What am I doing?'”

What else: With both sons now in college, Kelly said she feels “like the world is wide open.”

Why it matters: Palm Springs Speaks is an annual series that presents distinguished speakers from the fields of art and culture, politics, wellness, and entertainment. Sponsored by the Friends of the Palm Springs Library, the series is a fundraising vehicle for the library.

• The friends advocate for library funding and other gifts and support programs that encourage reading, culture, and the arts.