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Thursday, April 9 | ☁️ 87°/61°
Happy Thursday — we’re so glad you’re here. Unless you’re in Indio lining up for the big music event — then we’re glad you’re there and hope you make it in before the music starts. Wherever you are, expect crowded streets and make sure to be extra alert for tens of thousands of visitors on the streets. And remember: You don’t need a $600 wristband to enjoy the chaos that is Coachella. Kendall has you covered with her “totally not complete, but pretty thorough list of everything happening outside those polo field gates,” including one event here in Palm Springs.
🎶 Setting the mood: "Lazaretto" by Jack White
Leading Off
Whether Palm Springs voters will get to elect a mayor again was a hot topic at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. (File photo)
Council commenters push back on directly elected mayor proposal
Palm Springs residents on Wednesday overwhelmingly opposed a citizens' group proposal to replace the city's rotational mayoral system with a directly elected mayor, urging the Palm Springs City Council to move cautiously before making any structural changes.
Driving the news: About a dozen residents spoke out during public comment at the regular city council meeting against a ballot initiative filed in March that would put the question before voters in November. City Attorney Jeff Ballinger later warned that moving forward without further study could expose the city to litigation under the California Voting Rights Act.
Ballinger noted that reintroducing a citywide elected mayor could create an effective "at-large" position — something that has triggered lawsuits in other California cities, including Downey, which faced a CVRA challenge and ultimately abandoned a hybrid district and at-large system.
Why it matters: Palm Springs shifted from at-large to district-based elections in 2018 following a legal threat under the CVRA. Critics of the new proposal argued that reversing course could undo recent gains in representation, noting that nearly every mayor before 2018 was a white man and that the council has since become more diverse.
The other side: At least one speaker urged the council to let voters decide, arguing a directly elected mayor would strengthen democracy and boost the influence of protected classes in future elections.
Councilmember Grace Garner cautioned that a directly elected mayoral position would also be a significant time commitment, saying it would limit working people from serving.
What's next: The council opted against immediate action, forming a committee of Garner and Councilmember Ron deHarte to develop a working group that will study potential changes and lead a broader public engagement process.
Briefly
A rendering of what the Friends of the Palm Springs Library Building could look like after the Frey Building is renamed and updated.
📚 Library renovation campaign lands $375,000 in naming gifts
The Palm Springs City Council on Wednesday accepted $375,000 in gifts tied to naming rights at the Palm Springs Public Library campus, part of a capital campaign that has raised nearly $2.1 million toward a $45 million renovation.
The council approved renaming the J.C. Frey Building as the Friends of the Palm Springs Library Building, following a $250,000 gift from that nonprofit. A $125,000 gift from the Estate of Jane Lykken Hoff, a Palm Springs native born in 1920, will see the library's desert landscaping named in her memory.
Details: The capital campaign launched Oct. 27, 2025, and includes more than 35 donations. Seven additional gifts ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 were set for City Manager Scott Stiles' approval following Wednesday's meeting.
A MESSAGE FROM
PALM SPRINGS CULTURAL CENTER
Experience Alfred Hitchcock’s Blackmail on the big screen—his groundbreaking early thriller and a key step into sound filmmaking. Join us Friday, April 10 at 7PM, with an introduction and post-film Q&A by film historian Richard L. Edwards. Come early for Foodie Fridays at 5PM featuring hot pizza, live music, and a vibrant pre-show atmosphere.
📆 Featured Events
Dream Community Meeting
9 a.m. | Convention Center
A community meeting to update residents on the status of the Dream project and answer questions. Submit questions in advance to [email protected].
Lesbian and Queer Women's Chat
10:30 a.m. | The Center
A welcoming space for queer women to connect, share, and find friendship and support among people who get it. Contact Candice at [email protected] or 760-416-7790.
Story Time at Palm Springs Public Library
10:30 a.m. | Library at Rimrock Plaza
Children's Librarian Nancy reads stories, sings songs, and shares early learning concepts for children newborn to age 5 every Thursday morning unless otherwise noted.
Cinema Diverse BIG Gay Movie: Accidental Friends
4 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
The story of two boys — one gay, the other a bit homophobic — who find themselves living together. ($10.50)
Second Thursday Art Walk
4 p.m. | The Lofts Art District
Explore eight gallery/studios in The Lofts Art District (610 S Belardo Rd.) featuring geometric abstraction, graphic screen printing, hyper-surrealism, and more. The walk takes place year-round on the second Thursday of each month.
American Whore Story — Respect the Hustle
5 p.m. | Revolution Stage Company
A live taping of Emmy-nominated actress Naomi Grossman's history of hustling, from odd jobs to her even odder love life. Also performs at 8 p.m. ($28)
Free Museum Admission
5–8 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museums
Enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, with a DJ setting the mood at the Art Museum and exhibitions and programs at the Architecture & Design Center at 300 South Palm Canyon Drive.
Library Board of Trustees
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
The Palm Springs Library Board of Trustees holds its monthly public meeting. Join in person or via Zoom.
Thursday Night Live Music
6 p.m. | Hyatt Palm Springs
Thursday nights at HooDoo feature handcrafted cocktails and live music with downtown Palm Springs vibes.
VillageFest
6–10 p.m. | Palm Canyon Drive
The weekly street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food on Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs.
Carousel Jazz Club
7 p.m. | Agua Caliente Casino
The Jive Aces return to the Carousel at the Cascade Lounge for a night of swinging jazz. Shows sell out quickly. ($27–$37.85)
Love! Valour! Compassion!
7 p.m. | Dezart Performs
Eight gay men gather at a lakeside house over three summer weekends in Terrence McNally's profoundly moving play about friendship, betrayal, and community against the backdrop of the 1990s AIDS crisis.
📌 Save the Date
World Art Day Festival on Saturday at Downtown Park
‘Silent’ Piano Concert with Brent Alan Huffman on April 14 at the Wellness Park at Ruth Hardy Park
National Poetry Month Celebration on April 15 at Mizell Center
2026 Spring Gala Fundraiser starring Sierra Boggess on April 18 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center
How Hollywood Filmed World War II on April 18 at the Palm Springs Air Museum
Modern Men presents: Sing Out! on April 17–19 at the Plaza Theatre
Palm Springs Speaks: Jennie Garth on April 21 at Plaza Theatre
Barbra: The Birthday Concert on April 24 at the Annenberg Theater at Palm Springs Art Museum
Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus: Rhinestones & Rainbows from April 24 through 26 the Plaza Theatre
🚠 And Finally …
Student playwrights at The Palm Springs Cultural Center during a past Young Playwrights Festival. (Photo: PSYPF)
Four student playwrights from Riverside County schools are heading to the stage this summer, their original works set to receive professional readings at the Palm Springs Cultural Center as part of the ninth annual Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival.
Driving the news: The festival has selected four winners, each of whom will receive a $500 scholarship, professional mentorship, and a public staged reading performed by professional actors and directors on June 7.
Bent Theatre will award an additional $500 scholarship for a winning play with an LGBTQ+ theme.
The winning plays: "The Author Behind the Happily Ever After," by Allana Beckman of Valley View High School; "The Rats of Broadway," by Jason Bulanek of Canyon Springs High School; "Look at Me, I Exist," by Ryleigh Sanchez of Valley View High School; and "Mermaid Story," by Carleigh Rios of Martin Luther King High School in Riverside.
Before the main event: PSYPF will hold a three-night fundraising production of "FEAR" — an award-winning play by Matt Williams, creator of "Roseanne" and "Home Improvement" — on May 14, 15 and 16 at Cathedral Canyon Business Park in Cathedral City. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m., with the performance at 7:30 p.m. each evening.
Tickets: Staged readings at the festival begin at noon June 7; tickets are $10 at zeffy.com. Tickets for “FEAR” are available via this link.
In Case You Missed It
Recently published stories
🤔 Kendall thought she had Coachella FOMO, but she really just has Jack White and The Strokes FOMO. She can tickets to each of their shows for less than a wristband!
🎶 Mark figured out it was the first weekend of Coachella after the 1,000th press release landed in his inbox from a promoter hoping The Post would do a story on whatever product they were paid to hype.
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