EVENTS

River Butcher, 'The Birdcage' and more: A guide to Cathedral City LGBT Days

Brian Blueskye
Palm Springs Desert Sun

Cathedral City LGBT Days is California's first Pride event each year, and it brings Coachella Valley residents together to enjoy live entertainment, community engagement and fun activities.

The eighth annual event runs Friday through Sunday and tickets to most events, some of which are free while others are ticketed, can be reserved at CathedralCityLGBTdays.com.

Here's a guide to the events

Free screening of 'The Birdcage'

LGBT Days will feature a free screening of "The Birdcage" at the Cathedral City Amphitheater on March 8, 2024.

"The Birdcage," starring the late Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, reflected a pivotal moment upon its release in 1996. It was among a handful of early LGBTQ-themed films released by a major studio and the first to receive critical accolades and earn over $100 million at the box office.

Adapted from 1973 play "La Cage aux Folles" and set in Miami's South Beach, Armand Goldman (Williams) is a drug club owner where his partner Albert (Lane) is a star performer. Armand's son comes to the couple to announce his engagement to a woman from a conservative family. The couple put on a front when the woman's family comes to visit.

There will be a screening of "The Birdcage" on Friday at the Cathedral City Amphitheater.

If you go: 6 p.m. Friday, Cathedral City Amphitheater, 68-526 Avenue Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City. Free, but advance registration required at cathedralcitylgbtdays.com

Comedy show by River Butcher

River Butcher will perform during LGBT Days inside the Agave Caliente Tequila Bar at Agua Caliente Casino in Cathedral City, Calif., on March 9, 2024.

Transgender comic, actor and writer River Butcher isn't afraid to discuss his experiences related to gender or politics. Esquire referred to his 2021 Comedy Central special "A Different Kind Of Dude" as a "masterclass in culture war commentary." Butcher was also referred to as one of Vanity Fair's "Ten Comics to Watch" in 2017.

Butcher will perform on Saturday inside Agave Caliente Tequila Bar at Agua Caliente Casino in Cathedral City.

If you go: 6 p.m. Saturday, Agua Caliente Casino, 68-960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. $30. aguacalientecasinos.com

Drone light show

Agua Caliente Casino will illuminate the sky with an outdoor drone light show on Saturday following the River Butcher comedy show.

If you go: 10 p.m. Saturday, Agua Caliente Casino, 68-960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. Free. aguacalientecasinos.com

The Bed Race

Competitors take part in the annual Bed Race and Parade during Cathedral City LGBT Days in downtown Cathedral City, Calif., on Sunday, March 5, 2023.

The bed race on Sunday involves a "bed" on wheels that people decorate and then have to push to race. Some of the participants include city management, the city’s police and fire departments, and the Cathedral City Senior Center. People can still sign up to participate at CathedralCityLGBTdays.com.

A "Parade of the Beds" starts at 10:30 a.m. ahead of the 11 a.m. Bed Race and will be followed by a Bed Race Brunch at noon at Town Square Park.

If you go: 10 a.m. Sunday, Cathedral City City Hall, 68-700 Avenue Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City. For more information, visit cathedralcitylgbtdays.com

Madonna tribute

Whether you have a ticket for Madonna's sold-out concert on Wednesday at Acrisure Arena or not, you can still "Get Into The Groove" on Sunday during the Madonna tribute concert by Blonde Ambition. The band replicates the look, sound and style of Madonna. Expect to hear all your favorite hits from the '80s and '90s such as "Like A Virgin," "Holiday," "Papa Don't Preach" and "Vogue."

If you go: Noon Sunday, Cathedral City City Hall, 68-700 Avenue Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City. For more information, visit cathedralcitylgbtdays.com

Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.