Listen here:
If you were wondering what there is to do in Twentynine Palms this spring, stand by! Presenting before the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID), five teams pitched five wildly different visions to win their slice of Event Grant Funds at last night’s four-hour meeting.
The Twentynine Palms Historical Society pitched a return of the Desert Rat Convention, initially held in 1940. Steve Reyes, vice president of the group, explained that the original event celebrated “the pioneers and ‘Desert Rats’ who fell in love with the desert” and was held for ten years before it became overshadowed by Pioneer Days. They are aiming for May 4 event, noon-7:00 p.m., that includes historical presentations, a BBQ dinner, and live entertainment. Funding was approved for $3K.
Grnd Sqrl owner Mike Usher, representing Rediscover 29, pitched Art Invasion, an interactive mural event for April 12-14. Held mostly at Freedom Plaza, the weekend would feature real-time mural paintings, mural tours, live music, food trucks, DJs, pop-up vendors, and late-night events. Funding was approved for $15K.
Karyl “Kaz” Newman pitched Conjuring Cathy Allen, a multi-week event honoring her friend who passed in 2022. Allen was an assemblage artist who worked alongside the late creator Noah Purifoy. Planned for May 10-June 2, attendees would experience her photographs from her Dwellings exhibit (Twentynine Palms), a tour of her studio (Wonder Valley), a tour of her surviving Non-Urban Renewal Projects installations (Wonder Valley), and a personalized audio account and tour of the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum (Joshua Tree) in Allen’s own words. Funding was approved for $15K.
Standing in for Emmy-award winning choreographer and Indian Cove resident Ryan Heffington, a man named Zach pitched the Sand to Sky Series, a multi-weekend event in May. Location will be Desertrade, a former ranch currently being transformed to host events such as this. Sand to Sky will include crafting, dance, art, live music, film screenings, workshops, lectures, nature talks and sound baths. Funding was approved for $15K.
And then, three comedians walked up to the podium and pitched “To 29 and Beyond”, a unique event that mixes comedy and science. Astronomy guide Caitlin Gill and her buddies, Andy Wood and Matt Kirshen, plan to host the event at White Label Vinyl on May 4. (Wood and Kirshen co-host a podcast with the same theme, “It Could Only Happen Here.”) The event will feature four telescopes and two astronomy guides, plus beer. Funding was approved ($9,100) with the agreement that the event should be moved to possibly May or June.
But the best quote of the evening came from local hotelier, Veno Nethraj, an outspoken critic of the TBID. “Previously, I was the most upset guy in the room, but not tonight,” he said. “Tonight, I’ve been offered hope.”
