Amanda Lepore and a Whole Lot More :: Palm Springs Pride

Boldness, bombast and bawdiness will grace the boulevard at Palm Springs Pride this year, when down-and-dirty diva Amanda Lepore struts her stuff on Palm Canyon Drive as the 2014 parade's celebrity grand marshal Sunday, November 9.

The irrepressible Lepore, one of the original "club kids" of the 1990s, will be joined by a cast of honorees, special guests, activists and community grand marshals, including Judge Vicky Kowlakowsi, Tony Marchese, Thomas Smith, Tori St. Johns and Alexis Ortega.

"Ever since I can first remember, I knew I was a girl," says Lepore, who was born Armand Lepore and grew up in Cedar Grove, N.J. "I couldn't understand why my parents were dressing me up in boy's clothing. I thought they were insane." Since then, whether acting as David Lachapelle's "internationally acclaimed muse," performing live or making music as a pop singer, or delivering high-velocity performance art or "letting her hair down" with Oprah or Tyra Banks, Lepore is nothing if not entertaining.

The Palm Springs Pride Festival has a new location on a (temporarily) closed- to-traffic stretch of Palm Canyon Drive between Amado and Baristo Roads. Among the acts billed to wow festival-goers are lesbian hip-hop artist, Irawniq, Icelandic musical group Steed Lord, out singer-songwriter Aiden James and New Jersey's out rock musician Josh Zuckerman. Special appearances include pop artist Lisa D'Amato, who won the all-star cycle of "America's Next Top Model" in 2011, and "gender-bending pop stand-out act," Quatrel'e Da'an from "X Factor."

The Psychedelic Furs will take the stage, as will Frankmusik, Jeremiah Clark, Story of the Running Wolf and Blake Lansing.

Guest DJs will spin from the top of two-story-tall stages on Palm Canyon Dr., with the Kalliope stage serving as launchpad to DJs Aaron C, Galaxy, Lino, Robb, Aly and DJ Bob. The "Walter Stage of Disco" will feature Colour Vision, DJ Coo Ley, DJ Waide Riddle, DJs Twin Tables and DJ Aly.

Festival Emcees include New York City's Fiona St. James, Pauly and Monks from Los Angeles and the desert's very own hostess, social ambassador and Walk of Stars recipient Bella da Ball. Da Ball has coordinated an impressive lineup of 120 entertainers for the Palm Canyon Drive stage.

Singers scheduled to perform at Pride 2014, themed "I am Pride: Stonewall 45," include Charles Herrera and Carol Kamenis, drag personalities including Marina Mac and Sassy Ross, with performances from the Desert Rose Playhouse and the Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus. The newly crowned "Miss Broadway in Drag" from the pageant at Palm Canyon Theatre on Friday, November 7, and the winner of the Purple Room's "Voice of the Valley" contest are both scheduled to appear on Sunday.

Other features of this year's Pride celebration in the desert include a farmers' market by the Certified Farmer's Markets of the Coachella Valley and Whole Foods Market, exhibits and areas from Children's Headquarters, Youth Zone by Safe Schools Desert Cities, and HIV/AIDS testing by Get Tested Coachella Valley. According to Pride board president, Ron DeHarte, the event will feature 125 exhibitors and non-profit organizations, food and beverage vendors as well as several Bud Light pop-up lounges - not to mention the Tahquitz Beverage Garden, Disco Beverage Garden and a Margarita Cantina. DeHarte credits his fellow board members, a multitudes of volunteers, donors and supporters, as well as parade participants and the greater Palm Springs community for making Pride successful each year.

Greater Palm Springs Pride is a free community event; however, donations will be accepted at points along the festival entry areas. The festival happens Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 7 through 9, with the parade on Sunday starting at Tachevah Road and Palm Canyon Drive, ending at the festival's main entry at Amado Road. Free concert performances including Jeremiah Clark and Story of the Running Wolf will be held Friday, November 7 beginning at 6 p.m. A host of ancillary events complementing Pride 2014 will be held throughout the Coachella Valley.

For more information go to pspride.org