Guidemag.com
A World of Gay Adventure
XTRA! MAY 3, 2012
STAY HILTON. GO OUT
MONTREAL’S
OSHEAGA FEST
TAKES SHAPE The lineup for the 2012 Osheaga Music and Arts Festival in Montreal is official — and more or less complete — and there are some big names on the long list. Xtra’s March edition of Guidemag featured a few of Montreal’s many summer festivals, including Osheaga, whose lineup was trickling out at the time. At the same time, a fake lineup was making its way around the web, which got people talking but also got them confused, especially since there was some overlap between the prank and reality. Most of the speculation has been put to rest as Osheaga’s publicity machine cranks up to speed. On April 26 it was announced that the previously confirmed heavyweights — including the Black Keys, Justice, the Weeknd, Florence and the
Machine, Sigur Rós and M83 — will be joined by ’80s feedback masters the Jesus and Mary Chain. Also confirmed are Fun, Santigold, Buraka Som Sistema and Wolfgang Gartner. The full roster is available at lineup. osheaga.com; organizers seem to be building and sustaining the excitement by announcing the acts in dribs and drabs, so check back frequently for the latest. Launched in 2006 with the intention of offering Canadians a Europeanstyle music festival, Osheaga is sometimes compared to the multiday, multistage Coachella, which takes place each year in southern California and recently saw the holographic second coming of Tupac. This year’s Osheaga Festival takes place in Parc Jean-Drapeau from Aug 3 to 5.
The main stage at the 2011 Osheaga Festival. OSHEAGOTV
Fine dining in the desert. COURTESY PALM SPRINGS VISITOR & CONVENTION BUREAU
Splash in a desert oasis Palm Springs is renowned as a winter getaway, but California’s gay oasis is also a prime locale for a summer desert vacation, with experiences ranging from adventure to pure relaxation. If you’re looking for a big-city atmosphere with a booming club scene, you should look elsewhere; Palm Springs is a quiet, relaxing resort town. Certainly, there is a thriving nightlife, but that’s hardly the city’s main appeal. Sunshine, swimming pools, world-class golf courses and tennis courts, great restaurants and awe-inspiring mountain vistas are the reasons to visit. With an average of 332 days of sunshine each year, it’s easy to understand the appeal. And while summer temperatures are hot, Palm Springs doesn’t have the energydraining humidity that plagues some Canadian and American cities. One of the season’s big draws is Summer Splash, which runs June 1
through Sept 15. Hotels, restaurants, bars, retailers and entertainment venues band together to create a lineup of special events and discount offers. You’ll find great bargains on accommodations, restaurants, car rentals and local attractions. This summer marks the fifth year of Summer Splash, which is sponsored by the Desert Gay Tourism Guild. For more information and DGTG’s event calendar, visit palmspringsgayinfo.com. For more information on Summer Splash deals, visit palmspringssummersplash.com. Air Canada and WestJet offer a range of flight options to Palm Springs, including some direct flights. About 10 airlines service the Palm Springs International Airport, so there may be options for connecting flights from your home city on US carriers. An added bonus: conveniently located in the centre of town, Palm Springs’ airport is one of the most pleasant and manageable on the planet.
FROM
Hilton Hotels has launched a new promotion for the 2012 Pride season at 140 hotels worldwide. The “Stay Hilton. Go Out” program offers travellers reduced room rates, double Hilton HHonors points, free high-speed internet, late checkout when available, and a free one-year digital subscription to Out magazine. “Whether attending celebrations close to home or in top destinations around the world, Pride season is a peak travel period for our LGBT guests,” says Dave Horton, of Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “Our offer extends a warm welcome during this special time and is an extension of our presence at top community events.” Travellers can reserve packages at more than 140 Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations properties, including Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Sydney. Hilton is the official hotel partner for several high-profile gay events, including WorldPride 2012 in London, England, where eight properties are offering the “Stay Hilton. Go Out” package. For more information and travel offers, visit hilton.com/goout.
Hilton Vancouver Metrotown. HILTON HOTELS
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