Red Dress Dress Red, The LGBTQ Community Center’s annual celebration of individuality, community and joy, returned to the Palm Springs Air Museum March 21 with more than 3,500 attendees donning red as they danced and mingled in support of The Center’s LGBTQ+ programming and services throughout the Coachella Valley.
The unusually warm evening didn’t kill the enthusiasm for local DJs Modgirl and Galaxy. Each owned their time behind the turntables while entertainment including winged performers on raised stages and four-legged stilt walkers on the ground delighted partygoers on the crowded outdoor dance floor.
Started in 2012 as a house party with a few hundred people, Red Dress Dress Red has grown into a major event with attendees traveling from across the country and internationally to attend. It’s part of a tradition of red-themed events in cities around the United States that for more than two decades have raised money for LGBTQ+ causes, including HIV/AIDS.
Jacquelyn James had attended red dress parties in Seattle, San Franciso, Sacramento, San Diego and Las Vegas before attending the Palm Springs event for the first time in 2021. She’s been back every year.
“Palm Springs is No. 1,” James said. “They’ve got everyone beat.”
That’s partly due to the setting, she said. No other party has the indoor and outdoor spaces or the magnificent mountain views at sunset that the Palm Springs Air Museum provides.
But just as important are the people, who make the night memorable with their enthusiasm and creativity. “I’ve never seen so much crowd participation,” James said. “The people there make it a joyous experience for everyone.”
That sense of connection has defined Red Dress Dress Red since its earliest days. While the scale has grown over the years, the heart of the event remains the same: creating a space where people feel seen, celebrated and part of something larger than themselves.
James was one of more than 50 volunteers helping create a memorable and smooth experience for everyone in the crowd. She opted to wear tennis shoes instead of high heels to accompany her red sleeveless minidress.
“Red Dress is something I look forward to every year,” she said. “It’s so exciting, and now that it’s passed, it’s like, ‘OK, what do I wear next year?'”
Craig Rushing, a past attendee and a first-time event sponsor, dressed in drag while keeping his beard. He came with 19 of his friends who gathered at his home for a pre-party before walking to the museum.
“Several in the group had to pivot (their outfits) because of the heat, but it was still an amazing time,” Rushing said. “It’s the kind of party where you know you’re supporting a great organization and having just a blast being your authentic self for the night. Those kinds of parties are not the kind of thing that happens every day.”
Beyond the dance floor, two of the museum’s airplane hangars were cleared to make room for lounge areas where cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages flowed freely. Outside, a row of tents offered small bites from two dozen area restaurants.
Those local businesses, along with many other vendors and partners, volunteers and sponsors, all play a role in bringing Red Dress Dress Red to life through a collective effort that reflects the best of the Coachella Valley’s LGBTQ+ community and its allies.
As one of The Center’s most visible and beloved events, Red Dress Dress Red helps fuel the organization’s ongoing work across the region and meet its mission of creating vibrant community by helping LGBTQ+ people along their way.
To learn more about The Center or to make a donation, visit thecentercv.org.
Barrett Newkirk is the chief communications officer at The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: The Center builds community during ‘exciting’ Red Dress event
Reporting by Barrett Newkirk, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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