Greater Palm Springs Pride names grand marshals for 40th anniversary parade

Greater Palm Springs Pride on Monday announced its Grand Marshals for the organization’s 40th anniversary parade, set for Sunday, Nov. 8, in Downtown Palm Springs.

Comedian and actor Fortune Feimster was named National Grand Marshal, while actor and singer Cheyenne Jackson was named Celebrity Grand Marshal. Marshall Pearcy, known locally as Dottie DuBois, was designated Pride Royalty for Life, and Gary Moline received the Community Service Award.

The parade will run under the theme “Be Included,” stepping off at 10 a.m. from Palm Canyon Drive at Tachevah and heading south through downtown to the entrance of the Pride Festival.

Feimster has released three stand-up specials on Netflix — “Sweet and Salty,” “Good Fortune” and “Crushing It” — and has appeared in television series including “The Hawk” and “FUBAR,” along with films such as “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” She is also a co-host of the podcast “Handsome” and lent her voice to Disney’s “Zootopia 2.”

She is scheduled to perform an encore show, “Fortune Feimster: Takin’ Care of Biscuits,” at the Plaza Theatre on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m., after her first Palm Springs performance sold out. Tickets are available at palmspringsplazatheatre.com.

Jackson, a Grammy and Emmy nominee, has performed on Broadway in “Xanadu,” “Into the Woods,” “All Shook Up” and “Finian’s Rainbow,” and has appeared on screen in “American Horror Story,” “30 Rock,” “Glee” and “The Morning Show.” He will bring his 2025-2026 national tour to the McCallum Theatre on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m., with tickets available through mccallumtheatre.org.

Pearcy, who performs as Dottie DuBois, is honored for four decades of local involvement and for the work of the group Les Dames Du Soleil, which was active in the community for 46 years. Douglas Woodmansee, Pearcy’s partner who appeared as Maude Chapeau, passed away in February. The duo is credited with raising millions for people living with HIV in the Coachella valley.

Moline, who moved to Palm Springs in 2000 with his husband, Larry Chew, helped found what is now the Palm Springs Desert Winds band, drawing on his background as a charter member of the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band.

He has served as the group’s artistic director and as a national delegate to the Pride Bands Alliance, and has held roles with the Greater Palm Springs Pride Board, the Desert Business Association and the Rail Passengers Association’s California council. He previously received a Community Service Award from the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission.

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