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Polar bear with carrot

Monday, November 8, 2021

Palm Springs Gay Pride parade


I had antique business in Palm Springs yesterday morning and had to leave Fallbrook early in order to make my appointment. 

I made a nice sale but had to wait and kill time for an hour or two for the deal to get done and decided to check out the once a month vintage flea market.

I bought four great things there, a brutalist ring, a very fine and valuable Austrian woodcut of flamingos by Bresslern Roth, a modern abstract oil by Sadowski from 1959 and a very rare 19th century opium pipe with accoutrements. 

Like shooting ducks in a barrel.

After I got paid for the sale I decided to check out the Gay Pride parade and take a few pictures. 

It was enormous, many thousands of people. 

It was pretty amazing. Bawdy but not vulgar, nothing hanging out. 

Colorful, outrageous, fabulous, gay people of every plumage, color and conceivable twist or orientation.


Happy and proud.

I am not gay but I believe everybody should have the space to be whatever they want to be as long as they aren't hurting anybody and I took joy in the joy and liberation these people were feeling.

Unfortunately, it was very hot and also very compressed and I ended up worrying about covid and cut the thing short. Didn't have a hat and it was about 90°.


There was actually more room in the street than the sidewalks so I ended up actually marching with the throng for a few minutes before I skedaddled back to the car. 

A lot of fun.

I missed some epic shots out of sheer timidity. I would like to go back next year, with a hat on and a bit more courage and hopefully get some of the shots I saw but did not take.

It was a wonderful experience. I recommend that everybody attend, gay or straight or undecided. You will have a ball! I wish that I could have done the event justice but it was just too much after a long birthday weekend. 

I will be back.

Couple walking with Pantone fan and dog

4 comments:

Ken Seals said...

I like the photos that show the mixture of sexuality types. Assuming the old folks in very plain clothing make for a mix :-)

Unknown said...

Enjoyed reading your blob for few mins this morning! Pride and other pics were awesome! Happy birthday, look forward to seeing you soon.

Liz said...

Some of my very favorite times with mom and our extended family were at the Christopher st apartment during the gay pride parades

Blue Heron said...

I remember Stonewall but not a pride event. But I never lived in that apartment, just the one on 24th.