Ice skating in the desert is one of life’s most incongruous but joyful experiences, particularly as the temperature soars outside. That scenario brought together an avid group of figure skaters to The Experience Adult Skate Camp from Sept. 17 to 20. After a successful camp in the more climate-appropriate Cape Cod area, the Coachella Valley camp session occurred at the Berger Foundation Iceplex in Palm Desert.
The event was hosted by Randy Gardner, Elizabeth Manley, Jeremy Abbott, Elin Schran, and special guest Gracie Gold. These names will be familiar to diehard figure skating aficionados and possibly to casual fans who tune in every quadrennial for Winter Olympics marquee events. Schran and Gardner are the producers, creators, and head coaches at the beloved camp. The creators of The Experience Adult Skate Camp were influenced by Dorothy Hamill’s Figure Skating Fantasy Camp, an event that was popular for many years.
Twenty-five campers hailed from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. Hours of ice time and floor training plus camaraderie and fun brought this unique group together to share and expand their love and practice of figure skating.
Gardner and his partner, Tai Babilonia, were U.S. champions in the late 1970s and world champions in 1979. Gardner was ready to compete for the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics, held in Lake Placid, New York. But, he had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury. This difficult episode was part of the drama and intrigue explored in a recent documentary called “Go Figure: The Randy Gardner Story,” which aired on PBS and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. When I spoke with Gardner, we talked about the fellowship among skaters and how much he loves sharing his passion for the world of figure skating.
Gold – a two-time U.S. national champion who placed fourth at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia – read from her recent book, Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out, at the Palm Desert event.
Many of the campers either skated as kids or are currently involved in the adult skating track. Gardner says the three-day event is like a retreat, with catered meals and accommodations.
“We celebrate the exchange of ideas, explore new techniques, and each day discover things we couldn’t see before – skating together, making friends, and supporting each other in the process,” he says. He is excited for the love of skating to flourish in the desert, and next year’s camp is already being planned.
For more information, go to https://theexperienceadultskatecamp.com.
The Sky’s the Limit at the 10th Annual Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival
Up, up, and away! Agua Caliente Casinos will host the 10th Annual Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival from Nov. 22 to 24. Guests can enjoy “three days of activities for the whole family that include balloon tether rides, nighttime balloon glows, romantic dinners, live musical entertainment, gourmet food trucks, a Kids' Zone, Art Show, an outdoor market, family-friendly activities, and so much more,” according to the event website. The colorful hot air balloons are a stunning site to see, set against the pastel tableau of the desert and mountainscape. The event was voted the sixth-best balloon festival in the world.
“Hot air balloon pilots will travel from far and wide to participate in the festival,” Cindy Wilkinson, founder of Fantasy Balloon Flights (established in 1981), says. “The international event will welcome balloon teams from the UK, Canada, Mexico, and Japan to the Coachella Valley.”
Three morning balloon launches will occur at 7 a.m., and the 307-story high, colorful hot air balloons and specially shaped character balloons will decorate the desert sky as they slowly float east. There will also be two Balloon Glows at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa on Friday night and in the downtown Cathedral City area on Saturday night.
Multi-award-winning artist Leann Rimes will perform on the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater stage on Saturday, Nov. 23. Emily West will also perform, beginning at 4 p.m. Rimes, who originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and other musical genres, is sure to draw a big crowd. She’s been a fixture in the music scene for decades and has had more than 40 singles on the international charts since 1996. Attendees must buy tickets for the event.
Fantasy Balloon Flights is a family-owned and -operated business that offers hot air balloon events and services. More than 50,000 guests have enjoyed ballooning with Fantasy Balloon Flights above the Palm Springs desert resort area over the years. So, lift your spirits and take flight to see the world from a new perspective, or bask in the beauty of the landscape dotted with the delightful storybook montgolfières (the French word for “hot air balloons”). Note that all Hot Air Balloon Festival activities are weather, FAA, and government permitting.
For more information, go to: https://www.hotairballoonfest.com/.
