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Thursday, July 2 | ☀️ 99°/72°
Happy Thursday! Just a quick heads-up before you head into the holiday weekend: there will be no newsletter tomorrow, as we take the day off to celebrate the Fourth of July. With so many local events for the holiday (some of them starting tonight!) we bet you won’t even miss us! We'll be back in your inbox with all the local news you need bright and early on Monday. Have a safe and happy Fourth and semiquincentennial! (Can you believe I spelled that right on the first try?! - Kendall)
🎶 Setting the mood: "Saturday in the Park" by Chicago
Leading Off
Fireworks are ignited outside Palm Springs Stadium during a past Independence Day celebration. (File photo)
City to mark nation's 250th birthday with three-day celebration
Palm Springs will celebrate America's 250th birthday with three days of mostly free, family-friendly events across the city starting tonight.
Driving the news: The Palm Springs All-American Fourth of July Celebration kicks off today with a party at VillageFest downtown, featuring games, crafts, live music and free snow cones from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
On Friday, families can attend a free Dive-In Movie Night at the Palm Springs Swim Center, with "The Sandlot" screening starting at 7 p.m. after a 6 p.m. kickoff.
What's next: The celebration wraps up Saturday at Sunrise Park with a pool party running from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., along with patriotic games, family activities, arts and crafts, face painting and photo ops.
Sunrise Park will also feature an All-American History Wall highlighting the nation's history.
but wait: At 6 p.m. Saturday, the Palm Springs Power will play a special Independence Day baseball game at Palm Springs Stadium, with tickets sold separately at the stadium or online. A free Concert in the Park follows at 7 p.m., featuring Bob Seger tribute band Turn the Page.
The grand finale: The evening closes with the Palm Springs Fireworks Spectacular, set to begin at 9:15 p.m. and light up the sky in honor of Independence Day and the nation's 250th birthday.
Briefly
A scene from “Fruit,” directed by Jen Nee Lim (left).
🎬 'Fruit' wins top prize at ShortFest
The Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its 2026 award winners during a ceremony at the Hilton Palm Springs on June 28, with "Fruit," directed by Jen Nee Lim, taking the festival's Best of the Festival prize.
The festival ran June 23-29 and featured 328 short films, with organizers handing out $30,000 in prize money across categories, including five Academy Award-qualifying honors. "Fačuk" won Best Animated Short, "Water Cooler" won Best Documentary Short, and other winners spanned student, jury and audience categories.
Details: Organizers also unveiled a new honor, the Parker Filmmaker Award, created with the Palm Springs International Film Society. Recipients are expected to be announced later this summer.
📆 Your Weekend
Multiple Days
Palm Springs All-American Fourth of July Celebration at multiple locations today through Saturday
Red, White, and Pool weekend celebration Friday through Sunday at Ace Hotel & Swim Club
Wet + Wild | Neon Jungle at The Sonoran all weekend ($70)
Today
Blue Zones Project Palm Springs Blue Ribbon Celebration at Clandestino at 10 a.m.
”Atropia” film screening and Q&A with Alia Shawkat at Festival Theaters at 7 p.m. ($20)
Friday
Dive-In Movie Night: “The Sandlot” at Palm Springs Swim Center at 6 p.m.
Palm Springs Power baseball game at Palm Springs Stadium at 7 p.m. ($8-10)
Saturday
Coachella Valley Radio Control Club Flyable Model Airplanes at Palm Springs Air Museum at 10 a.m. (Free with museum admission)
Red, White & Slay Drag Brunch with Vanity Halston at one eleven bar at 12 p.m. ($34)
The Hustle: 4th of July Disco Pool Party at The Saguaro at 1 p.m. ($26)
Fourth of July pool party at 3 p.m. at Sunrise Park.
Palm Springs Power baseball game at Palm Springs Stadium at 7 p.m. ($8-10)
YG, Four Color Zack, and DJ Boogs at Reforma Palm Springs at 9 p.m. ($30)
Palm Springs Fourth of July Fireworks at 9 p.m. at Sunrise Park.
Sunday
Palm Springs Indoor Vintage Market at Palm Springs Pavilion at 7 a.m. ($5–$10)
🚠 And Finally …
With the news of the fire at Palm Springs Cultural Center’s cafe earlier this week, understandably, any upcoming films or programs are on hold for now. While we eagerly await its reopening, be sure to check out our other local theater in the meantime. Festival Theaters Palm Springs is rolling out a slate of new movies that come with a bonus: the people who made the movies will be there to talk about them.
Driving the news: The theater announced a summer season of movies and filmmaker conversations, building on a run of sold-out screenings earlier this year.
The lineup: "Atropia" will be sceened today with a post-show conversation featuring Palm Springs native and star Alia Shawkat; "Situations" follows July 11 with director, writer and actor Greg Vrotsos; and the hotly anticipated "Maddie's Secret" on July 23 with writer-director-star John Early. All three screenings begin at 7 p.m., with tickets priced at $20.
What they're saying: "We're building something that doesn't exist anywhere else in the desert, a place where you can see a great film and then sit in the same room as the person who made it," said Zack Solomon, general manager of Festival Theaters Palm Springs.
How to attend: Showtimes and tickets are available at festivaltheaters.com.
In Case You Missed It
Recently published stories
🦅 Kendall’s mom said the bicentennial in 1976 was a huge deal, the semiquincentennial, not so much!
🎆 Mark still has some bicentennial memorabilia floating around someplace, but can’t even spell sequinsentinel semiSiskiyous the word for a 250th anniversary.
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Proudly produced in District 1. Typos are intentional.