On Saturday, November 8, 2025 Flagging in the Desert will be held at Francis Stevens Park at 500 North Palm Canyon. Our DJ will be Steve Sherwood from SF and we are still in the process of selecting our charity. We hope you will join us. There will be a flag class at 10:30 am for new flaggers and everyone is welcome. Loaner flags will be available. The music starts at 11:30 and continues through the afternoon. There will be a silent auction of flags that closes at 3 PM. "Desert Flaggers' is the local organization that sponsors the event. They have a variety of events that are listed on their webpage at www.desertflaggers.com. These include classes, weekend flagging in various parks, social events, fundraisers, and flash mobs. They can be seen every Sunday as they open t-dance at OSCAR’S. The art of flagging is the spinning of flags rhythmically to music. Silk flags are usually dyed in vibrant, ultraviolet fluorescent colors, creating an almost hypnotic spectacle when spun rhythmically. They are made by adding curtain weights sewn onto the edges of two sides of the fabric to make it possible for flaggers to spin them through the air. Flags are as fun to watch as they are to spin! The basic moves are easy, fun, and visually stunning. Flow Flags are easy to pick up and soft on your body when you make mistakes. Come at 10:30 AM for our novice class and then enjoy the afternoon. Loaner flags are available.
Our DJ for this event will be Steve Sherwood from San Francisco. Steve Sherwood has been delivering his unique blend of house, progressive, and techno sounds to eager audiences for over a decade. He has played extensively across the United States as well as touring gigs in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Sherwood holds a residency with UNION T-Dance in San Francisco and the international traveling party Bearracuda . He has headlined marathon sets (up to 9 hours in length) at summer festival events such as REAL BAD, P-Town Bear Week, Burning Man, San Francisco Pride, Vancouver Pride, Lazy Bear Weekend, and Up Your Alley Street Fair.
Community Food Bank: Since 2008, The Community Food Bank at The Center has provided free, nutritional food in a safe and welcoming setting to those in need of food assistance. The Center’s Community Food Bank welcomes any Riverside County resident in need and serves the region’s most vulnerable populations, including low-income families, seniors, children, and the broader LGBTQ+ community with weekly food distribution events that feed more than 32,000 individuals or 14,500 households annually. We know that food insecurity remains a problem across the Coachella Valley, with 1 in 7 residents not knowing where their next meal will come from. In addition, studies have shown that LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, making this community twice as likely as others to face hunger. The Center’s Community Food Bank provides an affirming environment for our LGBTQ+ neighbors to access the nutritious food they need for improved health and wellbeing.
SPECIAL NOTE: We will be at Francis Stevens Park at 500 North Palm Canyon Drive for this event. You may have seen the Desert Flaggers on Palm Canyon Saturday mornings. The park is a four acre grassy space on the corner of North Palm Canyon Drive and Alejo Road. The new gay memorial will be located on the corner of Indian Canyon and Alejo. We will be sharing the park with a community that will surely be curious about who we are. Please encourage their wonder and welcome them into our event where suitable. Well behaved dogs are welcome, but the park requires them to be on leash. The weather should be warm but not overwhelming and there is limted shade. As always, prepare with sunscreen, snacks, and water. There will be water available if you bring a refillable bottle. Also, bring something to sit on - like a blanket or camp chairs. If you are looking forward to flagging for the first time, some loaner flags will be available for use. We begin the event with a class. This is both for beginners and experienced flaggers who want to warm up. It begins at 10:30, an hour before the DJ starts. At 11:30 our DJ for the Day will begin his music set. Flagger music is upbeat and exciting with a few interludes of slower beats. We encourage everyone to participate, especially our new flaggers. There will be a silent auction of flags and you can try out those that might interest you. Mark your name and bid amount on the appropriate page on the table. The auction will close at 3:00 and the high bidder can take their flags home. We accept cash, check, or credit cards. About 2:00 we will have a short break to hear from our selected charity. While they explain what they do we will pass through to accept donations. Of course all afternoon you can go to their table to speak with them to get more information and to drop a donation into the box.
