Sunrise Park, Palm Springs
Saturday, November 3
12PM to 4PM
The Flaggers of the Desert are proud to invite fellow flaggers, poi/fan dancers and friends from everywhere to our inaugural celebration in Palm Springs during Pride weekend. Come celebrate life and uplifting music with us under the beautiful San Jacinto Mountains.
Music By
Palm Springs DJs Luc Benech and Peter Barona
Luc’s DJ career started on the island of St. Croix in the US virgin island under the guidance of DJ Christopher Keefe. There he spun the monthly Planet Q roving parties from 1990 – 1996. Since then he has played across the country as a fixture while living in Boston and a musical force across Southern California and the world since moving to Palm Springs in 1999, including the Tom of Finland Black parties and the first US DJ to play the Amsterdam White party.
Peter began his musical journey early in life while watching his mother teach piano to young music lovers. From that time on, he was drawn to music as a life force and infused it with his Cuban roots. He decided to become a DJ in the late seventies and trained under some of the most well-known club mixers in Los Angeles at that time. In the past thirty years, Peter has played in clubs all over the country and Canada, projecting onto every set that a celebration of life and love defines a great party.
Our Beneficiaries
Pet’s Are Wonderful Support at DAP
Desert AIDS Project (DAP) is proud to bring the Pets are Wonderful Support (PAWS) program to the Coachella Valley through their Client Wellness Services Center. They are dedicated to preserving the human-animal bond by providing support to our clients with companion animals. Support services include veterinary care, pet food and supplies, temporary foster homes and volunteer services — all at no charge.
The National AIDS Memorial Grove
National AIDS Memorial Grove is a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope and remember. Having been the home of Flagging in the Park since its inception, Flagging in the Desert is proud to honor them with our first event for their ongoing support of our flagging family while creating and maintaining a safe place for us to remember lovers, friends and a precious generation lost to AIDS.
Where to Go
Sunrise Park
Sunrise Park is located at 450 S Sunrise Way in Palm Springs near the corner of Ramon Road and S Sunrise Way, closest to the Palm Springs Library. Public transportation is limited, but there is normally ample parking within walking distance, including along Baristo Road and a few spaces within the parking lot for the Public Library and the lot accessible from Ramon Road between the Mizell Senior Center and the Palm Springs Swim Center. Carpooling is always encouraged and being in central Palm Springs, the park isn’t too far from anywhere.
What to Expect
Sunrise Park is a diverse space that houses the Public Library, playgrounds and is adjacent to the popular Leisure Center (where the bathrooms are) that houses the popular swim center and skate park. So we will be sharing the park with the community who will surely be curious of whom we are. Please encourage their wonder and welcome them into our event where suitable. There is plenty of shopping within a block, including a grocery store, Starbucks, multiple food options and a popular health food store.
Being later in the season, the weather should be warm but not overwhelming. As always, prepare with sunscreen and as it’s a public park some footwear is encouraged. Bring something to sit on, pack a lunch/snacks and beverages. Some artists will kindly have their personal flags available for use and behaved furry friends are welcome.
We are truly excited that the Palm Springs chapter of The Sister of Perpetual Indulgence will be blessing our event, so we invite you to partake in the starting ceremony around noon. Our DJs will then split the happy, vocal day with Peter kicking off and Luc winding out the day after a few words of appreciation mid-way. This is going to be a dreamy day of beauty, so just coming and adding to the magic is fine, although you’re encouraged to flag your heart out!
About Flagging in the Desert
In 1997 a group of San Francisco flaggers started a tradition of celebrating life by gathering in the newly dedicated National AIDS Memorial Grove. Flagging in the Park (FITP) has since grown into a treasured event where DJs, organizers and participants donate their time, energy and love to help raise money for local and national charities.
With the so many in our community now calling Palm Springs home, it’s time to bring some of that magic to the desert. The Flagging in the Desert (FITD) family will continue many of the FITP traditions and share every donation collected during the event to our chosen beneficiaries.
2018 Partners
Our mother event Flagging In The Park has proudly been supported by San Francisco’s Grass Roots Gay Rights Foundation, the nonprofit behind REAL BAD. GRGRF offers a $2,000 matching grant for each FITP event. So with the natural tie between events and communities, they have agreed to stand behind Flagging in the Desert as well, ready to donate a matching grant of up to $2,000 that will be split between our beneficiaries! Representatives from their Board will be with us on the day so if you meet one, please give them a massive hug for their generosity.
2018 Producers
Leif Wauters, Mike Richey, Jon Lopez and Amy Sat Prem, our official liaison with our northern namesake. Other very special thank yous go to the entire FITP family for endorsing and supporting this extension of the magic they worked hard to create, the City of Palm Springs, Jeff Dannels for creating our awesome art and logo, Flagger Central for hosting the details of our event (and so many other things they do), Jeff Kennedy for creating our web presence, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Luc Benech for allowing us use of his sound equipment, and our beneficiaries who give so much to our community – it’s time to give some love back.
