On the Horizon: Palm Springs
Known for its history, celebrity-filled events, culture, museums, cinema, tourism offerings and beauty.
VillageFest
VillageFest is presented by the City of Palm Springs every Thursday evening on North Palm Canyon Drive from Baristo Road to Amado Road. The popular event features a variety of vendors displaying quality arts and crafts, great food, live entertainment, children's activities and a certified Farmer's Market. VillageFest is held from 6-10 p.m. October through May and 7-10 p.m. June through September.
Camelot Theatres
The original 625-seat Camelot Theatre, located at the Palm Springs Shopping Center, was opened on February 4, 1967. The heralded state-of-the-art cinema, equipped to the standards of only three other theaters in the U.S., debuted with a star-studded screening of "Dr. Zhivago." Appealing to the eclectic appetite of surrounding residents and recognizing a growing market niche for foreign and art films, the Camelot Theatres now shine as the home of The Palm Springs International Film Festival and an ever-growing list of other prestigious annual events.
The Indian Canyons
Centuries ago, ancestors of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla (pronounced Kaw-we-ah) Indians settled in the Palm Springs area and developed extensive and complex communities in Palm, Murray, Andrea, Tahquitz and Chino Canyons. Many traces of these communities exist in the canyons today, including rock art, house pits and foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, trails and food processing areas.
Knott's Soak City
Palm Springs' only water park is Knott's Soak City Water Park, a 16-acre oasis of water fun.
Palm Springs Skate Park
The City of Palm Springs opened its new Palm Springs Skate Park in December 2003. By the time the park was dedicated, it was already considered by many to be one of the best skate parks in the state. The city skate park project took several years to become a reality due to a considerable amount of careful planning. Early in the process, local skaters were involved with the design team to ensure that the park featured all the elements they wanted to see in the project.
Desert Pride Center
Since its inception in December of 2002, the Desert Pride Center has made a strong effort to serve the needs of Palm Springs' diverse community. In addition to welcoming all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GBLT) groups by providing space for their meetings and events at the center, diverse programming with a focus on inclusion has played an important role in the center's success. Among the many fund raisers hosted or sponsored by the center is the annual Leo Party, held August 7 at Toucans in Palm Springs. One of many courses recently offered at Desert Pride Center is Basic Sign Language, taught by Randy VonGottberg. The eight-week course has been meeting every Monday and Thursday.
Spa Resort Casino
The site of the Hotel and Mineral Springs Spa was formerly the Cahuilla Indians' gathering place for hundreds of years. They proclaimed the springs as having "magical" powers for their ills and regarded it as a shrine. The hot springs where the Spa Resort Casino now stands were used for bathing and curative purposes and was opened to the public as a bathhouse in 1870. Today's streamlined Spa has two forerunners. The first was a primitive, rough-planked shack. The second, a low-lying structure of "primitive bathing cubicles" came years later. In their place stands the beautiful combination Spa and Hotel. The same springs bubble from that spot today with luxurious embellishments which rival the Roman baths of old and outstanding spas throughout the world.
Palm Springs Air Museum
The Palm Springs Air Museum held "The Great Paper Airplane Contest" July 24-31. The contest, for children ages five to 12, was held as part of the "Kool Kids Month" activities in July. Children had the opportunity to design and build paper airplanes then test their flying ability in a competition. Prizes were awarded for the longest distance flown and the longest time in the air. The Palm Springs Air Museum is dedicated to the restoration, preservation and operation of America's legendary fighters, bombers and trainers. It contains one of the largest collections of flying WWII airplanes, as well as the Robert J. Pond Collection of vintage cars.
Palm Springs Desert Museum
Founded in 1938, the Palm Springs Desert Museum is an educational institution that promotes a greater understanding of art and the performing arts through collections, exhibitions and programs. The Desert Museum hosted a four-day "How the West Was Fun" summer camp in July, designed to spark the interest of children ages 6-13. Campers experimented with hands-on projects that ranged from painting, drawing, sculpting and writing to movement and rhythm.
Palm Springs Tennis Club
The Palm Springs Tennis Club was founded in 1937 by Pearl McManus, the daughter of one of Palm Springs' pioneers John Guthrie McCallum who settled in the desert in 1884. Pearl and her husband, Austin McManus, vigorously worked to make the Tennis Club a showcase resort of the desert with beautiful grounds, terraces and amenities. Set against the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains in western Palm Springs, the club was virtually built into the side of the scenic rocks. The Tennis Club remains a timeshare resort with 6,426 owners from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries. Facilities on the 25-acre grounds include 11 tennis courts, three pools, five spas, massage salon, courtside and upstairs cafes as well as the "Wimbledon" party room. During the tourist season, the Club hosts a gala dinner dance and member tennis tournaments.
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Mizell Senior Center
The Mizell Senior Center is a community-based organization which provides programs, activities and services to adults in the Palm Springs Community. Mizell offers a variety of social programs including bridge, table games and other activities. Music programs include open mic sing-alongs, jam sessions for musicians, and twice-monthly Social Tea Dances. Mizell provides free legal counseling and health insurance counseling to assist its seniors.
Desert Regional Medical Center
Founded in 1951, Desert Regional Medical Center is a 394-bed acute care facility located in Palm Springs at 1150 N. Indian Canyon Road. The hospital offers a vast array of specialty services including the Healthy Beginnings maternity program.
