Welcome to 11 Days a Week!
Hello! Welcome to 11 Days a Week, the Coachella Valley Independent‘s new weekly events newsletter. This is our set of curated recommendations on what to do over the next 11 days—in other words, the coming weekend and the following week. It will arrive in your inbox every Wednesday; it will be posted at CVIndependent.com, too.
Some FYIs before we get going:
• If you have an event that you want considered for inclusion in 11 Days a Week, send details to 11days@cvindependent.com.
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Thanks for reading—and if you have any feedback, just hit reply, and give us your two cents!
—Jimmy Boegle
End Black History Month With a Block Party
Hip-hop culture and music can be traced all the way back to the early 1970s—and the music created and popularized by Black America is being celebrated in a big way as the genre/art movement enters a sixth decade of existence. The Palm Springs Art Museum’s Block Party: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop will honor the culture of hip-hop over five decades of beats and flows. The event will feature graffiti art, hip-hop dancing and tons of great music. Block Party will take place at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 29 at the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 N. Museum Drive, in Palm Springs. Admission is free, but you should register at psartmuseum.org. —Matt King
Make the Extra Day Memorable
The TV show 30 Rock said it best: “Nothing that you do on Leap Day counts.” Instead of treating this once-every-four-years date as an average Thursday, make it a Leap Day you’ll never forget and “Rage Against the Leap Year” with People of the Sun, a tribute to Rage Against the Machine. The local cover band channels both the energy and sound of the riotous ’90s rockers, and provides a powerful setlist of the band’s punchiest hits. Enjoy the rap-fused riff rock show at 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 29 at Plan B, 32025 Monterey Ave., in Thousand Palms. The event is free, but you must be 21 to attend. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ThePeopleOfTheSunCV. —Matt King
Three Important Men
The Inner Circle Arts Society, a Black-owned arts group in Southern California, and the Palm Springs Cultural Center (2300 E. Baristo Road, in Palm Springs) are bringing MedgarX’nJames back to Palm Springs at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2. This original solo play, starring Joachim Moore, offers a fresh, unique perspective on three of American history’s most important men: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and James Baldwin—all while proving that tragedies of the past shed light on our present. Tickets are $35, and are available via Eventbrite. —Charles Drabkin
Get Your Volley On
It’s time yet again for the Coachella Valley to host some of the best and brightest tennis stars, as well as worldwide fans of the sport, at the BNP Paribas Open. Taking place from March 3–17, the “fifth grand slam” will include tennis greats including No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic on the men’s side, and No. 1 ranked Iga Świątek on the women’s side, as well as (almost) all of the world’s other top competitors. The event is being hosted at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, 78200 Miles Ave., in Indian Wells. Only single-session tickets were left at the time of this writing, and grounds passes start at $10. For tickets and more info, visit bnpparibasopen.com. —Matt King
Hello, Lando!
Palm Springs Speaks, the series that brings speakers from the worlds of politics, wellness and entertainment to the Coachella Valley, is featuring celebrated actor Billy Dee Williams in a conversation with Manny “the Movie Guy” dela Rosa at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 7, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs. Williams is known for his roles in Mahogany and Lady Sings the Blues—and, of course, as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars Universe. Get tickets, which start at $35, at palmspringsspeaks.org. —Charles Drabkin
Tradition!
Desert Theatricals is bringing a classic production to the stage. The winner of nine Tony Awards on Broadway, including Best Musical, and three Academy Awards on the big screen, Fiddler on the Roof will grace the beautiful Rancho Mirage Amphitheater, at 71560 San Jacinto Drive, in Rancho Mirage. Who could have imagined, in 2024, that you’d be able to see a musical that has roots dating all the way back to 1894? Enjoy an entertaining and historic performance at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 8; Saturday, March 9; or Sunday, March 10. General admission tickets are $50. For tickets, visit desert-theatricals.com. —Matt King
Coachella Valley: First in Pride
Cathedral City LGBT Days—billed as the first American pride celebration of the year—is returning with events from Friday through Sunday, March 8-10. The colorful array of events—including the perennially popular Bed Race (on Sunday morning), a free screening of The Birdcage (on Friday night) and a ticketed comedy show featuring River Butcher (Saturday night)—honors LGBTQ+ culture and history, with a goal of fostering unity, visibility and empowerment, all while showcasing Cathedral City’s commitment to embracing and supporting the diverse LGBTQ+ community. Events happen in downtown Cathedral City; find out more at cathedralcitylgbtdays.com. —Charles Drabkin
Support Your Local Lesbians
The L-Fund is the only lesbian-founded and volunteer-lesbian-run nonprofit in the county. Each year, the organization gives thousands of dollars to cis and trans lesbians in need. Whether the need is rental assistance, education or health, the L-Fund is ready to step in. This organization’s big fundraising gala, “Luck Be a Lady,” takes place at 5 p.m., Saturday, March 9, at the Margaritaville Resort, 1600 N. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. It features the hilarious Mina Hartong and a performance by The Voice contestant Marisa Corvo. Tickets are $225—and sales end on Feb. 29! Read more in Haleemon Anderson’s feature on the event by clicking here, and get all the details at l-fund.org. —Charles Drabkin
Want your event included in 11 Days a Week? Email 11days@cvindependent.com for consideration. Email ads@cvindependent.com for advertising info!
