Oct. 20 Daily Briefing: Monument dedicated, Pride funding up for vote, Halloween happenings, and more

Happy Monday, and Happy Diwali, where we bring you one last reminder that runners, walkers, bicyclists and others are needed today for some CV Link promotional video shoots, and that details for one of the shoots have changed slightly since we told you about them last week: The location for the Mesquite Avenue shoot at 3:45 p.m. is being moved to between South Farrell Drive and South Compadre Road. The hope is that most folks will walk, run or bike there. But should anyone need to drive, there is street parking available along the east side of Mesquite.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Hard to Say Goodbye” by Washed Out

LEADING OFF

Pride monument dedicated as as ‘defiant answer’ to national LGBTQ rights rollbacks

Palm Springs dedicated a $500,000 permanent Pride monument last Friday at Frances Stevens Park, with city leaders framing it as a bold statement against nationwide efforts to curtail LGBTQ rights.

Driving the news: Mayor Ron deHarte, who also serves as president and CEO of Palm Springs pride, called the sculpture a “defiant answer” to what he described as “a calculated, coordinated effort by political administrations and legislative bodies everywhere to erase, silence and in effect, disappear the lives, histories and rights of LGBTQ plus citizens.”

The details: Artist Jim Isermann’s civil rights sculpture features 720 triangular pieces forming three LGBTQ symbols: the triangle, lambda and rainbow.

• The city officially accepted the monument into its permanent public art collection during the ceremony.

By the numbers: Private donations covered 88% of the $500,000 project cost, with Palm Springs Pride and individual donors leading the fundraising effort.

• The city’s Public Arts Commission contributed 12% for installation costs.

Why it matters: The dedication launches a year-long celebration of Pride’s 40th anniversary in Palm Springs while addressing concerns about civil rights nationally.

• Public Arts Commission Chair Gary Armstrong said that “in a time when our federal government is rolling back hard-won civil rights,” public art becomes “a necessity” that “tells the truth when others try to silence it.”

What’s next: The monument becomes the first piece in a planned collection for Frances Stevens Park, envisioned as “the park of social voices.”

• Additional donations are still being accepted at PSPride.org/monument to cover final project costs.

Dive deeper with our complete story

BRIEFLY

🏳️‍🌈 Palm Springs may triple Pride festival funding to $350,000

• The Palm Springs City Council could vote Wednesday on whether to increase annual funding for the Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival from $125,000 to $350,000 through June 2027, with city staff citing security costs that have jumped 60% since 2022 and overall production expenses that have risen 20% to 50% in recent years.
  
• The November festival draws approximately 200,000 attendees and generates an estimated $38 million in economic impact for local businesses, with 65% to 75% of visitors coming from outside the Coachella Valley and spending an average of $365.39 daily on hotels, shopping and dining, according to city documents.
  
• Details: The enhanced funding would make Palm Springs the official “Presenting Sponsor” with exclusive branding rights, VIP reception sponsorship and naming rights to the Children’s Garden during Pride Week, with money coming from three sources: $125,000 from Parks and Recreation, $100,000 from Economic Development and $125,000 from PS Resorts funds.

Dive deeper with our complete story

📣 ‘No Kings’ event draws huge crowd in Palm Springs

• Thousands of area residents gathered in Sunrise Park in Palm Springs and elsewhere in the Coachella Valley Saturday to protest the current presidential administration’s policies and behaviors, which they said are reminiscent of a king and not a president.
  
• Organizers of the the ‘No Kings’ rallies said 2,500 events were planned across the nation and that millions were expected to attend. In Palm Springs it was estimated that 5,000 people attended Saturday’s event.
  
• Bottom line: Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills reported no problems during the event, praising residents on social media for exercising their First Amendment rights peacefully and noting he observed both progressives and conservatives participating as “great Americans.”

Check out photojournalist Jay Calderon’s images from the local event here

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Water Aerobics
12 p.m. | Swim Center
Get some low-impact exercise at the swim center every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with instructor Donna Newton! ($5)

Mahjong Monday
1 p.m. | Social Cafe & Play Lounge
Come play the American version of Mahjong with others. Play Lounge has two mats and sets, but feel free to bring your own

California Community of Men’s Monday Coffee
4:30 p.m. | Social Cafe & Play Lounge
Join the group for coffee, chat, and chew! No RSVPs necessary.

Monday Night Dance Party with Leanna and Miguel
5 p.m. | V Wine Lounge and Martini Bar
Join Leanna and Miguel for a night of dancing to jazz, Latin, pop, disco, and more. ($5)

Books & Beyond
6 p.m. | Mizell Center
Author Geoffrey Newman, in conversation with Will Dean, explores a powerful story of growing up black and gay. His memoir offers a deeply human journey of resilience, self-discovery that resonates across communities. Books & Beyond meets monthly on the 3rd Monday.

Book Launch: The Dogs of Venice
6 p.m. | Boozehounds
Books, dogs, and cocktails! Join New York Times bestselling author Steven Rowley for the launch of his new holiday novella, The Dogs of Venice at Boozehounds in conversation with Gays Reading podcast host Jason Blitman. ($23-$45)

Adult Tap Dance Class
6:30 p.m. | Leisure Center Dance Studio
Adult intermediate tap starts at 6:30 p.m., and “absolute beginners” adult tap is at 7:30 p.m. (“Two left feet are optional.”) ($20)

See all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Wet + Wild Party benefiting Palm Springs police and fire at Desert Hand Car Wash on Thursday
  
• CANCELED: Pride Equality Walk on Saturday
  
• Reel Women’s Film Festival supporting Planned Parenthood on Sunday
  
• “Be a Hero For Kids” Halloween Bash on Sunday supporting Palm Springs Boys & Girls Club
  
• Rocky Horror Picture Show Sing Along at Quadz on Oct. 28
  
• Pride on the Page, an LGBTQ book festival, on Nov. 1
  
• Palm Springs Pride Nov. 6 through 9
  
• Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk on Nov. 8
  
• West Side Story in Concert benefit for Dezart Performs Nov. 13-15
  
• Palm Springs Hospitality Golf Tournament on Nov. 14

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

Palm Springs is pulling out all the stops for Halloween this year, with enough events to keep residents busy from library story times to haunted carnivals to downtown dance parties—proving that even desert cities know how to embrace the spooky season.

Driving the news: The city has organized a week-long celebration featuring everything from the Festival of Frights haunted carnival at Sunrise Park on Oct. 25 to “Rimrocktober Halloween” at the library’s temporary location on Oct. 28, with most events offering free admission and family-friendly programming.

The lineup: Major events include the Palm Springs Air Museum’s 16th annual Chili Cook-Off and Car Show on Oct. 25, VillageFest’s Halloween transformation on Oct. 30, and “Halloween on Arenas” featuring electropop singer Dev on Oct. 31.

• The James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center will also host a Halloween carnival and haunted house on Oct. 31, with each activity requiring just a $1 entry fee.

The details: Most events are free or low-cost, with activities ranging from trick-or-treating and pumpkin decorating to live music and costume competitions throughout the final week of October.

Find a more detailed list in our online story.