“Doing nothing is hard. You never know when you’re done.” — Steve Martin
Welcome to June in Palm Springs! The temps are hot, and the pools are cool, so it’s the perfect time for a rain-free vacation in the land of sun and stars.
Days are spent lounging poolside, shopping for vintage, or enjoying a nosh at one of our local restaurants. If it’s particularly warm, and you can’t take the heat, you can spend a day up in the cool of Mount San Jacinto State Park (take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up). If you’re going to hike make sure to take water, follow the trail, bring a flashlight, and check for the time of sundown. No one likes to get stuck on the mountain, although it is interesting for locals watching your little lights trying to find their way down at night.
Speaking of night, there’s still plenty of stuff to do, but make sure you spend a few moments gazing at the stars. We have low light pollution outside of the major streets, so there are lots and lots of bright twinkly stars to be seen in the night sky.
Must-dos in Palm Springs this June
Melvyn’s Restaurant at the Ingleside Estate is participating in Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week. Photo courtesy of Melvyn’s
June 1: PS Card Show convention offers all the collectibles in cards — sports, Pokémon, whatever else card collectors collect, I have no idea. I am trying to get rid of stuff. But you do you. No judgment. (Maybe a leeetle — just a skoosh!)
May 31-June 9: Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week — pick a couple of places you’ve always wanted to go, and benefit from their discounted prices. Not everything on the menu will be available at this special rate, but you’ll get a good taste and a feel for the place.
June 7 and 8: Big Gay BBQ — June is Pride month for most cities who celebrate, but we have it in November. That doesn’t mean we can’t throw a party in June though. On Arenas.
June 11: Movies in the Park: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in the Downtown Park next to Marilyn.
June 18-24: PSIFF presents ShortFest at the Palm Springs Regal Theaters. Short films from around the world. Check it out.
June 20: GameAcon West at the Palm Springs Convention Center. “Where fans unite for competition, cosplay, merchandise, parties, and more.” I hope they dress up and come out to play. I miss Let’s Make A Deal.
Crystal Fantasy Psychic/Healing Fair on Saturdays and Sundays. There’s usually at least two psychics/readers in different practices. Plus they’ve got crystals galore. Robert Downey Jr. has been a customer for over six years.
Historical Society private tours — group walking and biking tours are over for the summer, but you can still book a private tour. You bring the ride, they provide the guide.
PS I Love You scavenger hunt at PS Art Museum — unleash your inner detective as you delve into the heart of Palm Springs. Engage with friendly locals, discover intriguing tales of history and culture and capture the essence of the city in photos, videos, and audio files.
Cascade Lounge in Agua Caliente Palm Springs. Check website for special events. Throw some money in a slot while you’re there, or save your dough and have dinner in their terrific steakhouse.
Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and Séc-he Spa
Get cultured
PS Underground — there’s nothing like it anywhere but Palm Springs: creative and themed live shows featuring some of Palm Springs’ finest entertainers, with delicious culinary delights sprung straight from the mind of Chef Dave. Great event space, too.
Revolution Stage Company — you should definitely book an evening or afternoon show here. There’s nothing like live entertainment, and Palm Springs is all entertainers and artists, so Revolution has a little bit of everything. Musicals, cabarets, comedy, piano riots, burlesque shows, and well, you just never know. Their homegrown productions have been fantastic so far, and next up is Baby the Musical running through June 9.
Coming in from far away places:
June 15: Irene Tu, an L.A.-based stand-up comedian of Comedy Central and Netflix fame.
June 27, 28, and 29: The Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy, a chilling cocktail experience lifting four of his stories off the page and onto the stage. Poe historians are pairing each tale of horror with four classic cocktails to set the mood.
Palm Springs Cultural Center — film festivals and special events fill the Center during the summer. Located in the historic Camelot Theatre, they have the largest screen in the Coachella Valley.
June 14: Leanna and the Free Agents Space Odyssey, an immersive music experience
Wine, tequila, and tacos — what more do you need?
The Plush Cosmo at V Wine Lounge. Photo by Gregory Douglass
V Wine Lounge — Live music Monday through Friday (Karaoke on Wednesday)
Reforma Nightclub — it’s a nightclub and a restaurant. Check their schedule for DJs and music. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tequila Tuesday’s at Zin — 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., get 25% off tequila cocktails. (OT: I recently had their mussels in wine and frites. Thumbs up!)
Tuesdays at Maleza (in Drift Hotel) there’s live Latin music from 7 to 9 p.m.. Happy hour starts at 3 p.m.
Thursdays at Drift: 7 to 10 p.m. is Jueves de Drift. Tap into the Cabo spirit weekly with live DJs, $5 tacos a la plancha, $5 beer, $8 cocktails, and night swims.
Village Fest — Thursdays, 7 to 10 p.m., Tahquitz and Palm Canyon is a great place to start. Parking can be an issue, but not if you’re staying in one of our downtown boutique hotels!
Wang’s in the Desert is back. In the Rat Pack era it was called Jilly’s (he was one of Frank’s guys). I just checked and they’re bringing back entertainment, and it looks like Keisha D will be headlining. She’s a terrific performer with an incredible voice, so have a meal and let one of our desert divas take you to church!
And last, the Twin Palms neighborhood has opened a mid-mod little free library on Navajo Road between La Jolla Road and Marion Way. The neighborhood is also sponsoring a $2,000 scholarship in architecture.
And that’s it for June. Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and please stay and shop local. It’s imperative in small towns, and if you’ve ever been here, you know ours is pretty special.
