The fortunes of Palm Springs might’ve been at their lowest ebb in 1986. That year, the Desert Circus – the city’s week-long festival of social events, including a parade and a Kangaroo Court – came to a close. The parade started in 1934; it was supposedly the idea of Thelma Wertheimer, wife of Al Wertheimer. He was a Cathedral City racketeer and casino operator who wanted to expand his operations further up 111. (It didn’t work; the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians broke that barrier.)
The Desert Circus was a highlight of the spring calendar until it was discontinued in 1986 due to lack of interest. That year, spring breakers erupted into a full-scale riot. They had brought chaos and all-night parties to the city since the 1960s. Also, the trickle of residents selling out and moving to Rancho Mirage and La Quinta turned into a flood. No one wanted to come to Palm Springs.
It could be said that Mayor Sonny Bono turned the city around with the first annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 1990. But, the discovery of the city’s treasure trove of mid-century architecture was the fuel that powered that rocket.
The introduction of the Festival of Lights Parade by architect and future Palm Springs mayor William Kleindienst in 1991 celebrated the city’s about-face. The parade is now in its 33rd iteration. (It was cancelled in 2020 during the pandemic.) It’s grown significantly over three decades; in the beginning, the most exciting “float” was Kleindienst’s pink Cadillac.
An errant wheelie on a police motorcycle injured 10 people and marred the 2023 celebration. But, the parade soldiers on. Prior marshals included the late Suzanne Somers, Nancy Sinatra, and skateboard legend Tony Hawk. The grand marshal for this year was not yet announced as of press time.
