This article was published on August 18th, 2022
Have a blast in the desert while fighting anti-gay rhetoric! You’re going to love the theme for this year’s Palm Springs Pride. The event will be in Palm Springs, California, from November 4-6. The 2022 event is going to combine multiple stages of live entertainment and have an exhibitor marketplace of goodies you can look at or purchase.
This event is the main annual attraction for Palm Springs and brings in the largest LGBTQ+ group of individuals together in the Coachella Valley. Last year the event brought in an astounding 160,000 attendees. The event has a significant economic impact on local travel and tourism. Last year alone, the event brought in over $30 million dollars for Palm Springs. There will be so many people at the Pride Parade that even if you don’t know anyone there, chances are they’re going to know you!
But, this year, the theme is something special. Instead of a regular theme of only having fun, the event is focused on inclusion and fighting anti-gay rhetoric.
Palm Springs Pride President and CEO Ron DeHart says the theme is more than an event. The event aims to mobilize people to fight against the increasingly anti-gay climate that has been brewing across the United States. He wants you to mobilize your friends and family members to support candidates who support LGBTQ rights. The theme is a clear message to politicians who are taking away our rights, access to bodily autonomy and access to education.
When facing adversity, we must stand up for our rights. Recently across the United States there have been movements to oppress us. We can no longer teach about anything deemed gay-related in some parts of the south of the USA. And, in the bible belt, we see our rights slowly being challenged and taken away. What better way to tell politicians we don’t accept it other than with a big gay party?
So what can you expect to see at the event?
The Electric Revolution Live (ERL) is set to steal the show. The goal is to pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable and green future for all of us. Bringing together the LGBTQ+ community with smart and sustainable mobility solutions, ERL offers a variety of electric vehicles for use at Palm Springs Pride, including scooters, bicycles, and cars and trucks. With new innovation we can all set the stage for a world that will not die as slowly. We all know that we need a change, but sometimes seeing the innovation can be difficult. So, if you head to the Pride event you will have up close and personal facetime with innovators in green energy and see the newest ways to travel.
During the event you’ll see exciting demonstrations and fun races. Electric Revolution Live is brought to you by The Motor/Cycle Art Foundation, Dash Radio, and Palm Springs Pride. Plus, Dash’s Metaverse Studio, DXSH, has created a parallel virtual Pride experience that will be available simultaneously with real-life Pride celebrations across the globe for the first time. So, even if you can’t attend the event in person, you can grab a VR headset to tune attend virtually.
The Arenas District continues to be the gateway to Pride and the pedestrian only social centre of LGBTQ-friendly bars, restaurants, and shops. There are several new additions at this year’s event, including the Recovery Oasis, a space for sober fun, and the DAPI Health Wellness Pavilion. A new feature at the festival is the QueerWorks trans power lounge, which provides a safe and affirming space within the festival for transgender people who identify as non-binary or genderqueer. With the theme of the event, these new additions make sense. It’s the trans and gender non-conforming people in our community who have been under the most scrutiny lately.
If you’re travelling with family, you can rest assured there will be fun for everyone in the family. This year there are many kid-friendly activities being added to the lineup. There will be an art zone where your children can let their exploration and imagination roam free. And a kids garden for running around and having a good time with other attendees’ children. Then, once they need a break, you can head to grab a bite of food and a nice cool beverage to help you beat the California sun.
With a lineup of events like this, you know there will be something for everyone at Palm Springs.
We’d love to know which of these events you’re most excited about in the comments below. The theme of this year’s festivities is sure to garner national attention. Of course, some of this will be bad press from the very people the event is hoping to reject with the theme. So, let us know… will you be attending? And, what do you think of the theme?
And, if you want to check out a lineup of events, you can head over to palmspringspride.gay.
