November 6, 2014
Dinah Shore Weekend Celebrates Silver Anniversary
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 3 MIN.
On April 1-5, 2015 Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is turning 25 and taking the event to a new zenith. But the legendary Dinah Shore Weekend, founded and produced by Mariah Hanson under her Club Skirts marquee, isn't waiting until the spring. They have officially commenced the six-months long celebration of its Silver Anniversary.
A quarter-century ago, Hanson did more than just kick-start her Dinah. She also and most importantly launched what would become her enduring legacy to both the city of Palm Springs and the LGBT community.
From a small, one-night event at a Palm Springs museum with 1,500 participants 25 years ago, to booking lavish locations at deluxe hotels over five days of epic pool parties and world-class entertainment with some 15,000-plus attendees and major corporate sponsors today, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has evolved into one of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley's largest tourism boosters and undisputed biggest lesbian event of its kind in the world.
Twenty-five years of excellence and unwavering commitment to deliver world-class entertainment and top notch customer service continue as Hanson and her team commemorate the landmark by honoring the partnerships that have been part of the amazing journey and contributed to the event's stratospheric success.
The natural symbiosis shared by these two iconic LGBT Mecca has continuously been a match made in heaven. More than a tradition The Dinah Shore Weekend has over these past 25 years (and counting) become a Palm Springs institution and one of the city's most popular spring attractions.
Once the party pied-a-terre of Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack, who turned Palm Springs into America's most glamorous destination for the glitterati in the 1950s, the famous sunny oasis has now gotten back in the swing of things to once again reclaim its status as one of Hollywood's hippest playground and the world hub for major high-profile festivals and special events.
The envy of the world with its 360-days of sunshine, the swanky modern city of glitz and glamour has been attracting a new generation of visitors from young hipsters, international jet-setters to Hollywood A-listers and socialites, who vie for the ultra-chic weekend getaway of martini-sipping, cabana lounging and celebrity sightseeing.
As one of the early pioneers, the Dinah has become one of Palm Spring staple events sharing the spotlight with the likes of the Coachella Music Festival, Stagecoach, The Palm Springs International Film Festival, the BNP Paribas Open Trophy, and the PGA and LPGA golf tournaments -- all intrinsically linked to the famous desert community. In the span of 25 years, The Dinah has cemented its status as not only an event the entertainment industry's most elite go to, but also as a trendsetting event that music industry insiders watch and jockey to book their artists' performances.
It is the only acknowledged all-girl party that features such a phenomenal line-up of talent to ever to perform at a lesbian event. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Colbie Caillat, India Arie, The Pussycat Dolls, Kesha and more recently Iggy Azalea, are just a few examples of major recording artists that headlined the epic event while still "unknown" and then systematically went on to hit international superstardom.
While The Dinah has been spearheading music careers, it has, most importantly, also been transforming lives and making a difference in and for the LGBT community. Offering an unparalleled one-of-a-kind experience for myriads of women who come every year from all over the world to enjoy the freedom to be who they truly are without fearing the judgment of others, and gain, as well, a tremendous amount of self worth.
The event has also been serving as a platform to mobilize the LGBT community around humanitarian projects and social issues, famously partnering in previous years with a variety of activist associations and charity organizations such as GLAAD, HRC, NOH8, Love is Louder, Equality California, and The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center among others.
The Dinah has certifiably come to represent an ever-growing movement that has crossed over to mainstream bringing more and more visibility to the lesbian community -- one that had never existed before.
Now ready to soar to new heights, the 25th installment of The Dinah is already expected to be one of the major highlights of the 2015 Palm Springs festival season. Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is not just breaking grounds; it is making history!
For more information, visit thedinah.com/events
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.