Mitchell Sussman

The Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films now in its seventeenth year and the largest short film festival in the United States.

Every spring fifty plein air painters from as far away as Maryland and Pennsylvania converged on the intimate little desert town of La Quinta were a group of talented artists painted for six days at Desert Plein Air where they each competed for prizes as well as the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work.

Now in its 25th year and 50th auction, the Palm Springs Exotic Car Auction has like a fine cream risen to the top of the list of annual exotic car auctions held across the country.

One of the most colorful and nostalgic events in the Coachella valley is the world - famous Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade. Originating in the early 60's, it was started by several individuals here in the desert who just wanted have some fun in the summer months. It eventually was changed to the early fall to avoid the immense heat that made dressing in costumes baking in the sun unbearable. The parade was not an every year event until 1983.

Camelot Theater, located on storied Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs is home of the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival each year in mid to late May. The festival features film interpretations of many of the wonderful mystery novels written by Lyons during his lifetime. These works ranged from the obscure to the eclectic and typically were seen through the eyes and the perspective of the criminals about whom he wrote. His works were heavily weighted with crime and the sexuality of the period.

Whether it is to see the lovely ladies that grace the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage or to take part in the week long festivities that fill the week in one of the premier events on the LPGA tour, the Kraft Nabisco golf event is a must stop on your next vacation to Palm Springs and the desert cities.

The La Quinta Arts Festival, which had its debut in 1983 had 50 artists and 1900 patrons including Red Skelton, was first held at the Desert Club Resort in La Quinta Village and has always been held within five miles of the original site

Whether it is playing or just coming out to take in some golf action, the Bob Hope Classic is the premier professional golf tournament in the desert to be a part of and a must stop on your next vacation to Palm Springs and the California desert resort cities.

On your next vacation to Palm Springs and the desert resort cities, consider stopping in at the annual Winter Gathering and Pow Wow. The immense array of colors, the beating drums, the enlightened dance, the forever spirit, and the history all came together at the Spotlight 29 Casino in December at the Twenty Nine Palms Band of Mission Indian's reservation.

Tour de Palm Springs is the brainchild of biking enthusiast Tim Esser who was hit with an idea back in January of 1998 that the desert and it's variety of terrains would be a perfect place to hold an annual bike event right in the heart of Palm Springs.