Happy 85th Birthday, Palm Springs! This Saturday, April 8th, join Harold Matzner at the Palm Springs 85th Anniversary Classic Car Parade. The “Cruising Through the Years” parade will feature 85 classic cars dating back to 1938, when Palm Springs city was incorporated. Local luminaries will be riding in the historic cars, led by Nancy Sinatra, the official celebrity grand marshal for the parade. The Guinness Book of World Records will be on hand as no city has have accomplished the feat of having so many cars marking 85 years in one place!
In addition to Harold Matzner, these other local luminaries will be riding in the 85 historic vehicles:
- Resident football legend Fred “The Hammer” Williamson
- Super Model and local resident Beverly Johnson, the first African America woman to appear on the cover of American Vogue
- Charlie Pasarell, founder of the BNP Paribas Open
- Tennis legend Rosie Casals,
- Lisa Vossler Smith, CEO of Modernism Week
- Globally renowned local artist Phillip K. Smith
- Local resident Nelda Linsk, immortalized in the famed 1970 Slim Aarons
photograph “Poolside Gossip” - Acclaimed local architect Hugh Kaptur
- Evernell Black, the City’s 86-year-old Senior Inspiration honoree
- Several former Palm Springs mayors including Ron Oden, Rob Moon and Will Kleindienst
- Grant Fuhr and Gino Lamont from the Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Emmy Award-winning journalist Hank Plante
- Local KESQ News Channel 3 anchors John White, Karen Devine, Haley Clawson and members of the news team, Mike Mozingo and Kris Long from the KNEWS Morning Show, Spectrum News Anchor Bianca Rae, vintage blogger and Spectrum news reporter Alison Martino
- A host of other local media figures and well-known residents who have made an impact on the Palm Springs destination.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have the fabulous Nancy Sinatra and so many other local celebrities, community leaders, and pioneers join us for what is sure to be an epic parade and incredible day celebrating 85 years of the magic that makes Palm Springs like no place else,” Mayor Grace Garner said in a statement.
The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 8 along Amado Road from the Palm Springs Convention Center to the Downtown Park. Free bleachers will be set up near Jackie Lee Houston Plaza for residents to view the parade on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the parade of cars arrives in the park, they will be displayed around the orever Marilyn Sculpture. The day will also feature an Elton John tribute concert, pet costume contest, DJ sets, and much more. See the full line-up at https://palmsprings85.com/