Rainbow crosswalks, such as this one in Atlanta, are seen as symbols of solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Two will be painted this week in Palm Springs. (Shutterstock photo)

City set to paint rainbow crosswalks, open new downtown park this week

Highly anticipated city projects will go into service this week downtown when crews create a pair of rainbow crosswalks, and the city’s newest city park officially debuts.

Crews will paint the crosswalks in the Arenas Business District, just in time for the annual Greater Palm Springs Pride Week. That event returns in person this year, running November 1 through 7. One crosswalk, located at Calle Encilia and Arenas Road, will be painted today at 10 AM. The other, at Arenas and Indian Canyon Drive, should be painted Tuesday.

The park, along Museum Way adjacent to the Forever Marilyn sculpture, broke ground two years ago this month and was supposed to open in November 2020. However, COVID-19 caused delays in that opening. The city plans a grand opening Thursday at 5:30 PM. The event will feature an ABBA tribute band, a mini-Taste of Palm Springs with local restaurants, and a Halloween pooch costume contest.

To date, the park has no official name, although momentum has been building to name the park after Nellie Coffman. She is considered the “mother” of Palm Springs and a driving force behind the original tourism industry in the city. The initial conceptual plan for the park was presented to the Palm Springs City Council for review at a June 2015 meeting.

Another dedication takes place on a city sidewalk this week when the latest Palm Springs Walk of Stars plaque is dedicated Tuesday at 11 AM. Frank Ferrante, an actor, director, and producer described by The New York Times as “the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx’s material,” will be honored with a star at 125 S. Palm Canyon Drive.

City tax dollars are not spent on the stars. Instead, individuals or groups can nominate star recipients at this site. If approved, sponsors of the nominee pay $15,000 for the installation.

Multiple other events are happening in the city this week. Among them:

It’s homecoming week at Palm Springs High School. Aside from the annual homecoming football game (7 PM on Friday against Shadow Hills), the homecoming parade is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. From 3:30 PM until 5:30 PM, the parade will be held on Palm Canyon Drive, beginning on Baristo Road and ending at Alejo. The announcers will be in front of Las Casuelas Terraza on Palm Canyon Drive. This year’s theme is “Dancing through the Decades,” and the grand marshal is Palm Springs High School Principal Brian Hendra, who will soon be leaving his post to serve as a director at the district level.
The Palm Springs Pride Honors Awards will be presented during an event on Wednesday that starts at 6 PM at the Palm Springs Hilton, 400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. The award recipients were announced on September 23. The Post is proud to be a sponsor of Pride events.
Nickerson-Rossi Dance is holding the Palm Springs International Dance Festival Fall Series Thursday through Sunday. Events include an opening night party at 6:30 PM at Desert Rose Playhouse, 611 S. Palm Canyon Dr. An all access pass can be purchased here.
Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival runs Thursday through Sunday at Camelot Theatres at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Rd. The event was started in 2000 by Lyons, a mystery author and Palm Springs community leader who passed away in 2008. More information, including ticket prices, can be found here.
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert (The Center) holds its annual Center Stage event on Friday at 5:30 PM at the Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail. The event is designed to honor the team of volunteers who help LGBTQ people along their way each day through work at The Center. This year, Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Middleton, a Center board member, will receive The Center’s 2021 Legacy Award.
Palm Canyon Theatre’s production of Shrek The Musical opens Friday evening and runs through November 7. Showtimes are 7 PM on Thursdays, 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 PM on Sundays. For tickets or other information, call the box office at 760-323-5123 or order online at PalmCanyonTheatre.org.
The city hosts a pair of Halloween-themed events this weekend. They include:
- Candy, Cars & Community at Demuth Community Center, 3601 E. Mesquite Ave., on Saturday, October 23. The event runs from 12 PM until 3 PM and features candy and cars, and games. It is free to attend.
- Floating Pumpkin Patch occurs at the Palm Springs Swim Center, 405 S. Pavilion Way, starting at 11 AM on October 24. The price of admission is $5 and includes a free pumpkin. Events include coffin races, pumpkin painting, a selfie booth, and more.
On Sunday at 11 AM, The Center officially cuts the ribbon after a multi-million-dollar renovation at its headquarters, the McDonald-Wright building, 1301 N. Palm Canyon Drive. To register for the free event, go here.

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BRIEFLY

TRAFFIC FATALITY: The Riverside County coroner’s office has identified a 29-year-old woman who died in a crash in Palm Springs Saturday. The two-vehicle crash occurred at 11:40 PM Saturday on North Gene Autry Trail south of Salvia Road, according to the Palm Springs Police Department. Kiara Zarate of Desert Hot Springs was pronounced dead at the scene. Further details about the crash were not available.

PAVEMENT PROJECTS: Improvements to city streets initially scheduled for 2020 will take place this week instead and may cause some slight delays and road closures. The roadwork will take place on Arenas Road between Belardo Road and Palm Canyon Drive, on Amado Road between Belardo Road and Palm Canyon Drive, and on Tahquitz Drive between Museum Way to the west end of the public road. The work will occur between 7 AM and 4 PM each day and is on an accelerated schedule, allowing for the projects to be completed in one week.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

TODAY

MIZELL EVENTS: Among other events, the Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way, hosts a program titled Widows Or Widowers Getting Re-Aquainted in the Noia Auditorium at 10 AM. Multiple other events get underway at 8 AM. For more information about all of today’s offerings, click here.

TUESDAY

MIZELL EVENTS: A computer tutor is available, Spanish lessons are offered, and more programs can be found today at the Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way. For more information about today’s offerings, click here.

SUNSHINE SISTERS: Palm Springs Sunshine Sisters is having a happy hour and game night at Wendy’s Hideout, which is adjacent to Pete’s Hideaway, 665 S. Palm Canyon Dr. You can sign up to be part of the group formed to help women make new connections and friendships on Meetup here.

SUSTAINABILITY: The city’s Sustainability Commission meets virtually at 5:30 PM. Information about joining or viewing that meeting can be found here.

WEDNESDAY

MIZELL EVENTS: Programs at the Mizell Center today include Dick Brodie’s Jam Session, chair yoga, a knitting circle, and more. The center is located at 480 S. Sunrise Way, and events begin at 8 AM. For a complete list of today’s offerings, click here.

MOBILE HEALTH: A mobile health clinic will be parked at the James O. Jesse Desert Highland Unity Center, 480 W. Tramview Rd., from 9 AM until 4 PM. Operated and staffed by Borrego Health, the mobile unit will provide a variety of medical services for residents.

BOOK CLUB: The Morning Coffee Book Club meets online at 10:30 AM. This month, the book club is discussing Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. More information on joining the book club can be found here.

HORA DE CUENTOS: La bibliotecaria Nancy Valdivia lee cuentos, canta canciones y enseña conceptos de aprendizaje temprano (miércoles en español y jueves en inglés) para estudiantes de preescolar de 10:30 a.m. a 11:30 a.m. Puedes ver los videos en YouTube aquí.

NOISE COMMITTEE: The city’s Airport Commission Noise Committee meets at 4 PM, virtually. More information about that meeting can be found here.

ARTS COMMISSION: The city’s Public Arts Commission continues its regular meeting at 5:30 PM via Zoom. Information about the meeting can be found here.

AIRPORT COMMISSION: The city’s Airport Commission meets virtually at 5:30 PM. More information about that meeting can be found here.

THURSDAY

MIZELL EVENTS: Walking aerobics, jewelry making, and more programs are offered today, beginning at 8 AM, at Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way. Today’s complete schedule can be found here.

STORY TIME: The Palm Springs Public Library offers story time for preschoolers starting at 10:30 AM via YouTube. Librarian Nancy Valdivia reads stories, sings songs, and shows early learning concepts (Wednesdays in Spanish and Thursdays in English). You can find more information here and watch the YouTube videos here.

WOMEN’S CHAT: The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert offers a chat group for all women — no matter how you identify — to discuss topics of interest and find connections every Thursday at 10:30 AM. You can find information about the event here.

NOT TEEN TALK: The Palm Springs Public Library’s teen librarian hosts an Instagram Live session each Thursday at 3:30 PM. To follow along, follow @psplteenzone on Instagram here.

FOOD AVAILABLE: FIND Food Bank distributes food in the city today at a community food bank, 610 S. Belardo Rd., between 5 PM and 7 PM, and at the Palm Springs Convention center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, from 5 PM until 6:30 PM. A complete calendar of food distribution in the community this month is available here.

FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION: The Palm Springs Art Museum offers free admission from 5 PM to 7 PM this evening. Tickets are required and can be obtained here.

VILLAGEFEST: The city’s weekly outdoor street fair takes place at 6 PM on Palm Canyon Drive downtown. The event includes vendor booths on both sides of the street — a portion of which is closed to vehicular traffic. At this time, face coverings are required for all who attend, regardless of vaccination status.

FRIDAY

MIZELL EVENTS: The Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way, offers a pastels studio, chair yoga, and more, starting at 8 AM. A complete schedule of all of the day’s events can be found here.

MEN’S CHAT: The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert offers a chat group for all men to discuss topics of interest and find connections every Friday at 10:30 AM. Information on registering for the event can be found here.

ONGOING & UPCOMING

FILM FESTIVAL: The 8th Annual Reel Women’s Film Festival, benefiting Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, runs through Saturday. While traditionally held at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, this year, the event is entirely virtual. Instructions will be sent after registration, which can be done here. The Post is proud to help sponsor this event.

VOTING UNDERWAY: Our partners at The Coachella Valley Independent have started the next step in the process of determining the best of the best in the Coachella Valley for 2021-2022. The top vote-getters in each category have been selected, and now you can vote for the winners. To vote for your favorite in any one of multiple categories, start here.

BULKY ITEM COLLECTION: Palm Springs Disposal Services is hosting a free bulky items drop-off event Saturday, October 23 from 8 AM until 2 PM in the north parking lot of City Hall, located at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way.

COMMUNITY CLEANUP: The Community Partnership on Homelessness and Palm Springs Clean Up are joining together for a monthly city cleanup and homeless outreach on Saturday, October 23, starting at 8 AM. To participate, meet at the downtown parking structure on the corner of Baristo Road and Indian Canyon Drive. The proposed route will start on Indian Canyon and head north to Andreas Road, left to Palm Canyon, and continue south back to Baristo Road. Trash bags, disposable gloves and water will be provided. Organizers encourage participants to wear a hat and bring a claw if you have one.

SENIOR FITNESS: The Mizell Center will be celebrating active older adults the last week of October with free classes, an informative talk from race walker Darlene Backlund on Monday, October 25, and a “Walk in the Park with Mizell” at 7 AM October 26 at Sunrise park. The official National Senior Health and Fitness Day is Wednesday, October 27, but each and every day Mizell offers affordable options for older adults to keep active and fit while making friends. To participate, just sign up at the ticket window for all free events. Mizell Center is located at 480 S. Sunrise Way.

AIDS WALK: The community’s largest gathering of HIV advocates comes together on Saturday, October 30, to walk toward ending the HIV and AIDS epidemics in the Coachella Valley. The 2021 Desert AIDS Walk, presented by Desert Care Network, will be an in-person event beginning at Ruth Hardy Park and following a route through downtown Palm Springs. This family and pet-friendly event includes a Health and Wellness Festival presented by Walgreens. Complete details, including registration information, is available here.

PRIDE RUN: The Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk takes place Saturday, November 6 at 8 AM. The event is both in-person and virtual for 2021. Registration is available here.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Want to know what’s happening in your city and at agencies that make decisions affecting your neighborhood? See below for calendars, meeting agendas, and links to all city services, police reports, code enforcement reports, and more:

City of Palm Springs calendar of events | Official city contacts

Palm Springs Public Library calendar of events

Palm Springs Unified School District calendar | Board meetings

Palm Springs High School athletics and other events

Desert Healthcare District Board of Directors meeting agendas

Transgender Health and Wellness Center calendar

LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert programs

Mizell Center calendar of events

Desert Water Agency calendar

ONE-PS calendar of events

Police reports | Submit a police report

Code compliance reports | Report a code violation