Three Days of Standup
The event formerly known as the Coachella Valley Brewery Comedy Fest is back for its fifth year—with a new name and a new home base. Burnt Bits will take place Friday, March 20, through Sunday, March 22, primarily at Spirit Animal inside Hotel Zoso, at 150 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, plus a kickoff show starring Tom Arnold at 7 p.m., Friday, March 20, at Agua Caliente Palm Springs, at 401 E Amado Road. What started as a local showcase has grown into a mix of nationally touring comics, strong regional talent, and familiar names from the Coachella Valley scene. This year’s schedule includes a comedy competition, a local showcase, a roast and more. Tickets to individual events start at $23.18; single-day passes, three-day passes and VIP options are also available. Tom Arnold kickoff tickets start at $33.85. For tickets or more information, visit the festival’s Eventbrite page. —Charles Drabkin
Lit and Lyrics
Enjoy a free concert from hard rockin’ music legends! At 7 p.m., Saturday, March 21, enjoy a lively, energetic show from Chicago-based band The Hitchcock Brunettes; Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends (pictured) featuring Melvins-drummer and Coachella Valley resident Dale Crover; and legendary Minuteman-bassist Mike Watt + The Missingmen, at Mojave Gold, at 56193 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Yucca Valley. The show is a part of the Hi-Desert Lo-Fi Lit Fest (read our feature story on the festival here), a free weekend of literary panels, workshops, readings—and plenty of live music! The three-band concert at Mojave Gold showcases how rock bands can engage with literature in non-traditional forms. For more information, visit mojavegolddesert.com. —Matt King
Singing Spook
Don’t be scared of a little Broadway. The horror/comedy musical BEETLEJUICE is coming to Palm Desert for some scary fun, popping up for eight eclectic performances from Tuesday, March 24, through Sunday, March 29, at the McCallum Theatre, at 73000 Fred Waring Drive. The hauntingly hilarious musical is based on the uber-popular ’80s film, as the show revives the undead host with the most for a rousing round of deathly funny jokes, macabre musical moments, and devilish dancing! Tickets start at $49. For tickets and more information, visit www.mccallumtheatre.org. —Matt King
The Giveaway
Win a Pair of Tickets to the Red Dress Dress Red Party!
Prepare to paint the town RED! The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert’s annual Red Dress Dress Red Party is Palm Springs’ most joy-filled, over-the-top celebration of camp, creativity and community. Step into a bold, breathtaking world where crimson costumes and carefree celebration collide—3,500 strong—proving that imagination has absolutely no limits.
This year’s event takes place this Saturday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to midnight, at the Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail.
The event is sold out—but the Independent is giving away two pairs of tickets to readers of 11 Days a Week!
Reply to this email before 4 p.m., Thursday, March 19, to enter. Winners will be drawn at random.
Awesome Artists Documented
Learn more about beloved local artists! At 11 a.m., Thursday, March 26, a new documentary titled Something to Entertain You, an in-depth dive into the creative world of Rancho Mirage artists Karen and Tony Barone, will screen as part of the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, at 2300 E. Baristo Road. You’ve certainly seen the couple’s works, such as the abstract bright bunny sculptures in Palm Desert, and the duo—easily identified thanks to Karen’s always-flashy makeup and attire—are always out supporting the arts. Get a glimpse into the pair’s creative minds, and educate yourself on some desert art! Tickets are $11.53. AmDocs takes place Wednesday, March 25, through Sunday, March 29. For tickets and more information, visit www.amdocfilmfest.com. —Matt King
Adaptable Creatures
Want to grow your knowledge while admiring the desert’s beauty? At 9 a.m., Saturday, March 28, experience Xerophilous, an all-day educational event happening at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, at 47900 Portola Ave., in Palm Desert. The definition of xerophilous: a plant or animal “adapted to a very dry climate or habitat, or to conditions where moisture is scarce.” All day long, learn about desert plants from experts; tour some of the location’s most beautiful gardens; and get up close and personal with the Coachella Valley’s signature flora and fauna. The event is free for Living Desert members or with the price of admission ($39.95 for adults and $29.95 for students). For more information, visit www.livingdesert.org. —Matt King
Art, Music, Food Trucks
Cathedral City is giving local creativity a big outdoor stage. The Cathedral City Public Arts Commission presents its first-ever Festival of the Arts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 28, at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater, at 68526 Avenida Lalo Guerrero. The event brings together more than 40 artists, displaying and selling original work ranging from fine art paintings and mixed-media pieces to handcrafted ceramics and fused glass. Live jazz and blues performances will run throughout the day, with music sponsored by Tastes and Sounds of Cathedral City. Children’s activities planned alongside the artist booths, and food trucks will be on-site serving everything from quick snacks to full meals. For more information, visit discovercathedralcity.com/event/inaugural-cathedral-city-festival-of-the-arts. —Charles Drabkin
Recipes, Memory and the Women Behind Them
There is no shortage of food talk in Southern California, but Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories—which opened earlier this week and is on view through June 13 at the La Quinta Museum, at 77885 Avenida Montezuma—gets to the part that actually matters: the people who keep traditions alive. The exhibition examines the influence of Mexican and Mexican-American women on Southern California culture through the dishes, stories and knowledge they have passed down across generations. Featuring 10 indigenous, mestiza, Mexican-American and Afro-Mexican grandmothers, the show uses documentary film, audio stories, photographs, kitchen artifacts and family recipes to trace not just what these women cook, but how they built community around it. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and admission is free. For more information, click here. —Charles Drabkin
Rethinking Desert ‘Weeds’
Some plants are called weeds simply because people do not know what they are looking at. At 1 p.m., Saturday, March 28, a bilingual gardening workshop at the Cathedral City Library, at 33520 Date Palm Drive, invites locals to take a second look. Hosted by Esperanza’s Second Chance Sanctuary, “Native Plants and Using Them to Companion Plant in Your Garden” is a free event focusing on identifying native desert plants and understanding their role in healthy gardens and local ecosystems. Participants will learn how many “desert weeds” are valuable pollinator plants that support bees, butterflies and beneficial insects, helping nearby fruits and vegetables thrive. The workshop also looks at practical ways to grow your own food at home without spending a fortune. For more information, visit esperanzassanctuary.com or check out the Facebook event page. —Charles Drabkin
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