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All Boo! No Hoo: Halloween In Palm Springs

“Last night you were unhinged. You were like some desperate, howling demon. You frightened me. Do it again.” — The Addams Family

Halloween is a great time to spend the weekend in Palm Springs. The weather is cooler, but not cold, and the food and entertainment are hot! Also, if you weren’t already aware, Halloween is a HUGE deal here in Palm Springs. Arenas is all about creativity in costumes, music, drinks and reverie — it’s quite the kiki.

Halloween is so big in LGBTQ+ culture that it’s called Gay Christmas. And on Arenas it is FUN, it is FABULOUS, it’s a CELEBRATION, and it is PAGEANTRY! It is a scene, baby!

A writer for The Advocate had some musings about why Halloween is such a big deal in gay culture and hoo boy, they were pretty dark, and not in a spooky way but in a way that sucks all of the gaiety out of fright night. So we’re not going to focus on the hocus pocus and go with another suggestion from him that rings true, “Halloween is the one time of year when everyone is allowed to be whoever they want to be.” That gets a bubbling, piping hot cauldron full of “yes!”

If you’re not gay, who cares? Everyone is welcome everywhere. For those who have an aversion to crowds, and it will be crowded on Arenas, there’s still plenty’o-ween to be had in smaller doses.

(If you’d like to read a detailed history about Halloween and Gay Christmas go here. Or you can come back to it after you read about all the spooktacular ((sorry)) goings on in Palm Springs 2022).

Halloween revelers in Palm Springs. Photo credit: Kay Kudukis

Party in the U.S. Gay:

Oct. 30: Arenas Halloween  — There is SO much to do and see, you’re going to have to click the link and check it out. If you don’t wear a costume, you can still go, but you’ll feel horribly out of place. Here are some shopping spots to find your spooky boo you. Or just find a fun mask.

Oct. 12, 19, and 26: A Classic TV Halloween at Quadz. On Oct. 19th, stop by for 1970’s HORROR FILMS: A Nod to The Classics in Palm Springs, or check out The History of Horror/Scariest Short Films Part 2 on Oct. 26. 

Oct. 20: Hey Boo! at Oscar’s, is described as such: “Heklina, international drag queen extraordinaire, will be ‘HELLina’ with her spooky parody songs and hocus-pocus tales. Heklina’s spine-chilling performance will remind you that this podcaster, actor, emcee and ghost buster is more than just a pretty face. Deven Green & Ned Douglas are the boniest award-winning performers this side of purgatory. Brought back from the dead for one night only, their live music and songs with inscrutable words will make you soil yourself with frightful laughter.”

Families with kids

Oct. 29: Spooktacular Halloween – Rancho Mirage Library — Enjoy an afternoon of trick-or-treating and a costume parade through the library. Christopher T. Magician will also be on hand to perform his Halloween magic show in the Community Room. 1 to 4 p.m.

Oct. 29 and 30: Howl-O-Ween at the Living Desert. Kids are encouraged to dress up in their favorite costumes and enjoy one of the many exciting activities planned for the weekend, including more than 20 trick-or-treat stations, a monster maze, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin decorating, animal encounters, meeting Living Desert zoo mascots, storytelling, face-painting, bounce houses, craft workshops, and more. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is free with paid park admission.

Oct. 30: Cathedral City Spooktacular — This free event features trick-or-treating with more than 40,000 pieces of candy. Kids will have a spooktacular time participating in activities like Halloween costume contests (two bikes are being given away each hour), police and fire exhibitions, and games. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Charity events

Oct. 8: House Party For A Cause — $100 but well worth it. Debbie Boone (the ’80s), Steve Knill (The Voice), Alix Korey (Broadway) and my favorite, DJ ModGirl.

Oct. 30: Be a Hero For Kids — If you’ve got a little bit deeper pockets, check out this event presented by The Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs. It’s poolside!

All the rest

Escape Room — Vampire’s Lair, Jack The Ripper, and Merlin’s Magic Room are three of the spooky adventures awaiting you and your besties. The object? Just like Jordan Peele’s scary film: Get Out.

Oct. 16, 20, and 27: Palm Springs Cultural Center — Tim Burton “festival” with Ed Wood, Beetlejuice, and Nightmare Before Christmas. If you didn’t know, PSCC/Camelot Theatre has a 58′ screen, and the finest projection capabilities in the valley. It’s truly an experience to see a film in this theater.

Oct. 28: The Hilton’s Palm Springs Halloween Comedy Mashup.

Oct. 28, 29, and 31: PS Underground “Bite: Vampire Circus” — Always a frightful night in the best possible way. It changes every year, but it’s always wonderful. From the top-notch entertainment to the fantastic food to complement the evening. Expect the unexpected.

Oct. 29:  Mogo Silent Disco Monster Mash — Dance like nobody’s watching (even though they all are, because you’re dancing down the street to curated music with a bunch of people wearing headphone). Always fun.

Stay safe, buddy up, take rideshares, and don’t forget to hydrate. Love, A Witchy Woman

Creative Halloween costumes abound in Palm Springs. Photo credit: Kay Kudukis

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Let’s Have A Tiki!

“Lock the doors, lower the blinds, fire up the smoke machine, and put on your heels, cause I know exactly what we need…let’s have a tiki.”  — Scissor Sisters-ish

ALOHANA is upon us and that means it is tiki time in Palm Springs. Of course, tiki culture lives all year long in Palm Springs, but this is a celebration of all things tiki.

So, what is tiki? I’d love to tell you, thanks for asking. A tiki is a carved statue, and the Maori name for the first human male. Tiki culture is a celebration of all things Polynesian, and became huge in America when a bootlegger named Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt opened Hollywood’s Don the Beachcomber in 1933 (after prohibition was repealed).

Mark your calendars for ALOHANA. Photo courtesy of ALOHANA

Twice a year, in spring and autumn, the Palm Springs Cultural Center celebrates ALOHANA (a combination of the words “aloha” (hello/goodbye) and “ohana” (family), a fantastically fun event that’s coming up on November 13 from noon to 5 p.m.

This year, there’s a tiki artisan marketplace featuring Smokin’ Tikis’ tiki carvings, signs, and masks; Volcano Designs’ original caftans, playsuits, dresses, and cabana wear for both sexes; Ms Formaldehyde’s tropical tiki couture; and TeeKi Togs’ one-of-a-kind, must-have jewelry designs.

On the entertainment side, expect several returning favorites, including Kūhai Palm Springs performing hula, drag performer Miss Bea Haven, and DJ Modgirl. There will also be food and tikitails (made it up, and I like it). 

“ALOHANA was created to experience the welcome of aloha and the spirit of ohana,” ALOHANA co-producer Maureen Thompson says. “This time we look forward to introducing some new vendors to our marketplace with their original creations and we welcome Slack Key ‘Ohana, an award-winning musical group whose music has a way of transporting you to the Polynesian islands.”

Bootlegger Tiki serves craft cocktails in the original Don the Beachcomber space. Photo courtesy of Visit Palm Springs

Want more tiki after 5? We currently have four tiki bars where you can Mai Tai one on: Bootlegger Tiki, which is in the old Palm Springs Don the Beachcomber space; Tonga Hut (since 1958); The Reef (I love this place); and Toucan’s Tiki Lounge, all tiki and drag!

You should also check out Shag, a local artist who does wonderfully kitschy pieces (not cheap, but worth it), and the Sunny Dunes Antique Mall located at 507 E. Sunny Dunes, which has a huge selection of tiki items.

For the tiki aficionado, there is the new Tiki Hotel, originally built in 1961 and recently restored by Tracy and Jerry Turco. It’s an 11-room boutique hotel with tiki memorabilia throughout the entire property, and ukuleles in every room.

A room at the Tiki Hotel. Photo courtesy of Tiki Hotel

If you decide to do a hike up in Indian Canyons (and you should), do a drive-by of Royal Hawaiian Estates, Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison’s Polynesia-meets-mid-century-modern condos on South Palm Canyon. You can’t actually visit the interior, but you could buy one and live in tiki town year-round.

This concludes your tiki tour of Palm Springs. Don’t forget to check around for personal items, watch your step as you exit, and shop and stay local. Aloha hoa! (I’m not calling you names, Google says that means “goodbye friend” in Hawaiian, so it must be true…)

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Wildflowers And Hiking Trails Offer Delight In The Desert

“April comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.” — Edna St. Vincent Millay

In the spring, nature’s theater doesn’t always mean “head to the storm cellar!” In the desert, spring stages an extravaganza of colorful wildflowers called the superbloom. But that’s only when we are fortunate to have had a rainy winter.

This year the clouds have been a bit stingy with the wet, so it’s gonna be a smaller, but still gorgeous show. There are a few well-known spots to experience them, which I’m gonna tell you about because I’m nice like that and, full disclosure, I like to talk.

Keep in mind, almost all of them include some level of walking, and some are definitely challenging. So make sure you find your own comfort level and don’t push it. Even people who are avid hikers can misjudge their stamina or not bring enough water. It’s the desert — you need a LOT of water.

Mom warnings aside, off we go!

The best known spot is called Anza-Borrego, and it’s a little bit of a haul. About an hour and fifteen outside of Palm Springs, it’s well worth the drive. It’s best to go during superblooms, but you can still see swaths of gorgeous color in drier times. These clever folks have a website/hotline to check on the situation. Hey buds, how you bloomin’?

Wildflowers in bloom. Courtesy of Anza Borrego Botany

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve: This one is why I said “almost all of them” require some level of walking. It’s about 45 minutes from Palm Springs. Per the website: “The preserve entrance is one block south of State Highway 62 in Morongo Valley, a community located between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. Several trails, including boardwalks through the marsh and stream habitats, meander through the preserve. The one-half mile Marsh Trail is wheelchair accessible. Open daily throughout the year, from 7:30 a.m. to sunset.”

Joshua Tree: It’s a national park, so make sure to hop on the site to purchase a pass before you go. Not only will it show you what blooms to expect, but the Joshua Tree itself should be blooming.

Coachella Valley Preserve, Thousand Palms: For those with sciatica (raises hand), I’m told there is a flat hike here. Hours: December 1 through April 30, Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is an oasis, so you’re likely to see a lot of color. The trails are McCallum, Moon Country, Smoke Tree, and Herman’s Hike. Lots of critters too, so no dogs unless your pup is a registered service dog.

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center in Palm Desert is another group of trails with possible flowering flora. Everything you want to know can be found here.

The La Quinta Cove to Lake Trail: Their website mentions wildflowers and I believe everything I read on the internet.

South Lykken Trail: This is a very popular trail. It’s on South Palm Canyon, just after E. Murray Canyon Drive (on your left). The trail is a titch further up on your right. Hit up Moorten’s on your way (keep scrolling more info). It’s near the start of South Palm Canyon on your right.

Moorten Botanical Gardens is a plant lover’s paradise. Photo courtesy of Moorten Botanical Gardens

East Indio Hills Badlands: From their website comes this dramatic reading: “This trail enters the Indio Hills badlands and traverses the San Andreas Fault exposing twisted and tortured rocks that have been uplifted and moved over millions of years. The trail enters several narrow slot canyons and twists and turns in the sandy washes before climbing up to the ridge with panoramic views of the entire Coachella Valley.” Epic.

Sunnylands: If hiking is not your jam, Sunnylands is the place to go. The grounds are astounding, and it’s free to roam them.

Wildflowers aren’t the only thing blooming. The cacti are absolutely bonkers with blooms this year. The little cactus in front of my house has buds where she never bloomed before. And you don’t have to leave town for that, you just go where the cacti are, which is everywhere in my park. But if you prefer something more structured, Moorten Botanical Gardens is for you. The cost to get in is minimal: $5 for adults, $2 for kids 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and under.

Kay’s cactus. Photo courtesy of Kay Kudukis

Here’s a little blurb about cacti: “The greatest diversity of spring-flowering cacti species can be seen in April. Some also stretch into May with some species such as the prickly pears cactus blooming well in early May. Saguaros tend to flower from mid-May to mid-June.”

The Ocotillo, a shrub that’s so fancy Palm Springs named things after her, has orange-red flowers and that girl doesn’t care if it was wet or dry, she’s showing off. You can blink all you want, you’re not going to miss her.

The world is a bit serious right now, so it’s even more important to reset and enjoy a fleeting moment brought to you by nature. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Earth laughs in flowers.”

Have a giggle.

The Ocotillo bloom. Photo by Pixabay

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