ICONIC CAST MEMBERS KATE MOENNIG (SHANE), LEISHA HAILEY (ALICE) AND LAUREL HOLLOMAN (TINA) EXCLUSIVELY REUNITE AT THE DINAH’S “L WORD POOL PARTY” PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH SHOWTIME

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has just announced the addition of Laurel Holloman to its celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the L Word’s TV premiere.

Holloman, better known as Tina Kennard, will be joining her former co-stars Kate Moennig (Shane McCutcheon) and Leisha Hailey (Alice Pieszecki) for an exclusive cast member reunion at the Dinah’s “L Word Pool Party” presented in association with Showtime.

The L Word actress and accomplished painter will be showing and selling her prints of a series entitled “Written on the Body”, poolside at the Palm Springs Hilton Hotel, all day, Saturday, April 5 during the L Word Pool Party and Sunday April 6 during the “Wet & Wild Pool Party”.

Holloman’s appearance at the Dinah will mark her second exclusive private showing for Club Skirts, something she wanted to give to her fans and art lovers for their continuous support. Dinah attendees will be able to purchase posters of her pieces and meet with The L Word star that will be on hand to personally sign each copy.

We all remember the famous episode in Season One that saw Shane, Alice, Jenny, and Dana embark on an eventful road trip to The Dinah. Not only did we found out about Bette and Tina’s first kiss, were privy to a few comical moments between the gang, got introduced to weird Tonya, but most importantly we also were given for the first time ever on national TV an exclusive preview of what the legendary Dinah Shore weekend was all about.

Now a decade later, Club Skirts and SHOWTIME are proudly commemorating the nostalgia of a memorable era in lesbian culture that celebrated out loud our “girls in tight dresses who drag with mustaches” with three of its most beloved characters!

Holloman began her film career with her breakout role as Randy Dean in The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love. She has appeared in many independent and feature films including Boogie Nights and Tumbleweeds. Most recently she had an18 episode stint on TeenNick’s Gigantic, which co-starred Meryl Streep’s daughter Grace Gummer. But it was her iconic role as Tina Kennard opposite Jennifer Beals (aka Bette Porter) on The L Word that not only earned her a Golden Satellite Award as Best Actress in a Drama series, but also captured our hearts and forever got her the undivided attention of millions of lesbians around the world.

After acting for 20 years, she successfully made the transition to the art world solidifying her reputation as an established abstract expressionism artist known for using intense colors and mural-sized canvases.

Since the launch of her studio, LaurelHollomanStudio.net , Holloman’s artistic career has naturally evolved from painting for charities, to solo exhibits in Europe. After hosting her first two solo art shows “Coeur Libre” and “Free Falling” in Paris, France, and Venice, Italy, respectively, she recently presented her new exhibition of large scale murals called “All The World Inside” at the sumptuous “Palazzo Italia” in Berlin, Germany.

One of her greatest acknowledgement in the art world came in June 2013 when she was invited to exhibit her painting, “Swell,” in the 55th “Biennale”, the prestigious international arts festival held in Venice, Italy. In addition, in 2012  “Let Me Fall” sold for a record 125,000 Euros – a breaking price point record for female painters.

A true Renaissance woman, Holloman is at once a talented actress, exquisite painter and devoted mother to her two daughters Lola and Nala.  And before hopping on her next flight to Europe for another exhibition of her spectacular portfolio, she will be at The Dinah in Palm Springs, CA, autographing posters of her  “Written on the Body” artwork for fans to add to their L Word memorabilia collection!

www.TheDinah.com

@dinahshore

#thedinah14

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As we’re preparing for The Dinah 2014 and are welcoming old and new faces in our Dinah family, we want to salute, honor and thank the many talent, who, year after year, tirelessly work behind-the-scenes to  help us create the magic that is Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend.

We say THANK YOU to all of them for their labor of love and for contributing to the success of The Dinah.

Today we invite you to:

Stefanie Neal (Dinah Staff Member)

Dinah Satff Photographer Vanessa Dubois

Connie Kurtew (Dinah staff photographer) & Chris Lacasse (Production Manager)

Leilani Reymold (General Manager) & JD DiSalvatore (Dinah Video crew/producer)

Leilani Reynolds (General Manager) getting a special “Engagement Party” treat at The Dinah!

Julia Yates & Dani (Dinah Staff)

Dinah Staff 2013

JD DiSalvatore (Dinah Video Producer)

Mona Elyafi (Publicist) & Briana Stockton (General Manager)

Dinah Staff

Mariah Hanson (Founder & Producer of The Dinah) & Management Team

The Dinah Family!

The staff!

Hollie, Briana Stockton (General Manager) & Veronica Cruz

Dinah Video & Photography staff members

Chris Lacasse (Production Manager)

The Dinah Video production team: Elizabeth & JD

 

Briana Stockton & Chris Lacasse

Dinah Staff 2013

Dinah General Managers!

Lambert recently expanded on the chorus of her marriage equality anthem releasing the very personal song, “She Keeps Me Warm,” about being in love with a woman. The song’s video has attracted more than 2 million views on VEVO and YouTube since the single dropped in the summer. Now stepping out on her own, Lambert is currently working on her first full-length album, which is set to drop in 2014.

The Dinah Comedy Night featuring Erin Foley, Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere is Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 8:00pm at The Palm Springs Convention Center.  

 

Reminiscent of its 2009 phenomenal line-up of performances by international mega-superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, Club Skirts DinahShore Weekend hits a home run again this year with a huge concert- program featuring one of today’s biggest music stars: pop sensation Tegan and Sara.

The band has just released a brand new track entitled “Shudder to Think” as part of the soundtrack for the Oscar-buzzing film “Dallas Buyer’s Club”, which premiered with RollingStone.com.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Byrnes

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend delivers another roof-raising celebration with a steamin’ hot lineup that will most definitely blow the lid off the sunny oasis!

The Dinah 2014 is already on its way to be the biggest it’s ever been!

Photo Credit: Lindsey Byrnes

Grammy Award-Winning R&B diva, Evelyn “Champagne” King first came to fame with the million-selling ’70s disco smashes “Shame” and “I Don’t Know if It’s Right.”

EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING

King’s songs have not only all become classics but also must-have tunes on everyone’s old-school jams playlist!

THEA AUSTIN

Thought The Dinah’s entertainment line up couldn’t get any bigger? Think again! 

After all, what’s a party without some first class R&B?

Palm Springs, CA – Female rap titan Eve will be heading to Palm Springs, CA, this April to headline Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend’s Saturday signature party at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday, April 5, 2014.

The Grammy-Award winning rapper who recently released her first new album in 11 years titled “Lip Lock” will take center stage at the biggest lesbian event in the world on the same evening featuring an earlier headlining performance by pop sensation Tegan and Sara.

No stranger to the LGBT community, the hip-hop rap diva made a stop at the San Francisco Pride this past June as part of her promotional tour in support of her new album.  Her highly anticipated Dinah Shore appearance will mark the first time the singer/actress/fashion designer will perform to an all-lesbian crowd.

Taking the hip-hop world by storm in the late 1990s, Eve’s meteoric rise has single-handedly placed her atop the female rapper throne. With an impressive entertainment career spanning over three decades, no one can deny the contribution the Philly native has had on the industry and how many others she has paved the way for.

Her first three albums have sold over 8 million copies worldwide delivering a slew of music anthems including “Satisfaction,” “Who’s That Girl”, “Gangsta Lovin’”, and “Let Me Blow Your Mind”. Eve was number 48 on VH1’s “50 Greatest Women of The Video Era” list, and made music history by being the inaugural winner of the Grammy Award for “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” in 2002 for the smash hit “Let Me Blow Your Mind” with Gwen Stefani.

The multi-talented artist and business entrepreneur has done it all! From starting her own record label to invading the big screen with her box office hits “XX” and “The Barbershop”, there’s nothing Eve can’t do.

After an 11-year recording hiatus, the iconic rapper made a feisty comeback with her fourth album “Lip Lock”.  Released under her own label From The Rib Music, “Lip Lock” features guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Juicy J, Chrisette Michele and Nacho to name a few.

Eve’s headlining return to the music world comes with new sounds and new collaborations, while still maintaining the edge that catapulted her at the top of the Billboard charts.  The “Let Me Blow Your Mind” rapper is not only ready to conquer the music world once again, but she’s also definitely about to blow everyone’s mind with her upcoming Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend performance.

AN EXCLUSIVE CHANCE TO MEET AND MINGLE WITH KATE MOENNIG, LEISHA HAILEY & LAUREL HOLLOMAN ALL WEEKEND LONG !

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, in association with SHOWTIME, is bringing back the magic of the hugely popular, groundbreaking lesbian drama, The L Word, with an exclusive “L Word” pool party on both Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6 during the legendary Dinah Shore Weekend.

The L Word stars Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig will, respectively, step back one more time into their famed Alice Pieszecki and Shane McCutcheon shoes for an exclusive meet and greet hosted from 2:30pm to 5:00pm on Saturday and from 11:30am to 1:00pm on Sunday at The Hilton Hotel.

Dinah attendees will have the once in a lifetime chance to take photos and get their favorite L Word memorabilia autographed by two of the most popular characters of the beloved, critically-acclaimed television series. In addition, limited edition The L Word swag will exclusively be given away throughout the event courtesy of SHOWTIME.

Also joining the Dinah’s exclusive L Word cast member reunion is Laurel Holloman, aka Tina Kennard, who will be showing and selling her prints of a series entitled “Written on the Body”, poolside at the Palm Springs Hilton Hotel, all day, Saturday, April 5 during the L Word Pool Party and Sunday April 6 during the “Wet & Wild Pool Party”.

As this year marks the 10th Anniversary of the official television debut of The L Word, Club Skirts and SHOWTIME are proudly commemorating the nostalgia of a memorable era in lesbian culture that celebrated out loud our “girls in tight dresses who drag with mustaches”!

The epic five-day world-renown weekend is already making a lot of noise and is well on its way to be the biggest Dinah EVER.

You’d never seen anything like it yet … this is going to be an unforgettable year!

Lambert recently expanded on the chorus of her marriage equality anthem releasing the very personal song, “She Keeps Me Warm,” about being in love with a woman. The song’s video has attracted more than 2 million views on VEVO and YouTube since the single dropped in the summer. Now stepping out on her own, Lambert is currently working on her first full-length album, which is set to drop in 2014.

The Dinah Comedy Night featuring Erin Foley, Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere is Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 8:00pm at The Palm Springs Convention Center.  

 

Reminiscent of its 2009 phenomenal line-up of performances by international mega-superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, Club Skirts DinahShore Weekend hits a home run again this year with a huge concert- program featuring one of today’s biggest music stars: pop sensation Tegan and Sara.

The band has just released a brand new track entitled “Shudder to Think” as part of the soundtrack for the Oscar-buzzing film “Dallas Buyer’s Club”, which premiered with RollingStone.com.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Byrnes

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend delivers another roof-raising celebration with a steamin’ hot lineup that will most definitely blow the lid off the sunny oasis!

The Dinah 2014 is already on its way to be the biggest it’s ever been!

Photo Credit: Lindsey Byrnes

Grammy Award-Winning R&B diva, Evelyn “Champagne” King first came to fame with the million-selling ’70s disco smashes “Shame” and “I Don’t Know if It’s Right.”

EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING

King’s songs have not only all become classics but also must-have tunes on everyone’s old-school jams playlist!

THEA AUSTIN

Thought The Dinah’s entertainment line up couldn’t get any bigger? Think again! 

After all, what’s a party without some first class R&B?

Palm Springs, CA – Female rap titan Eve will be heading to Palm Springs, CA, this April to headline Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend’s Saturday signature party at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday, April 5, 2014.

The Grammy-Award winning rapper who recently released her first new album in 11 years titled “Lip Lock” will take center stage at the biggest lesbian event in the world on the same evening featuring an earlier headlining performance by pop sensation Tegan and Sara.

No stranger to the LGBT community, the hip-hop rap diva made a stop at the San Francisco Pride this past June as part of her promotional tour in support of her new album.  Her highly anticipated Dinah Shore appearance will mark the first time the singer/actress/fashion designer will perform to an all-lesbian crowd.

Taking the hip-hop world by storm in the late 1990s, Eve’s meteoric rise has single-handedly placed her atop the female rapper throne. With an impressive entertainment career spanning over three decades, no one can deny the contribution the Philly native has had on the industry and how many others she has paved the way for.

Her first three albums have sold over 8 million copies worldwide delivering a slew of music anthems including “Satisfaction,” “Who’s That Girl”, “Gangsta Lovin’”, and “Let Me Blow Your Mind”. Eve was number 48 on VH1’s “50 Greatest Women of The Video Era” list, and made music history by being the inaugural winner of the Grammy Award for “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” in 2002 for the smash hit “Let Me Blow Your Mind” with Gwen Stefani.

The multi-talented artist and business entrepreneur has done it all! From starting her own record label to invading the big screen with her box office hits “XX” and “The Barbershop”, there’s nothing Eve can’t do.

After an 11-year recording hiatus, the iconic rapper made a feisty comeback with her fourth album “Lip Lock”.  Released under her own label From The Rib Music, “Lip Lock” features guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Juicy J, Chrisette Michele and Nacho to name a few.

Eve’s headlining return to the music world comes with new sounds and new collaborations, while still maintaining the edge that catapulted her at the top of the Billboard charts.  The “Let Me Blow Your Mind” rapper is not only ready to conquer the music world once again, but she’s also definitely about to blow everyone’s mind with her upcoming Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend performance.

There are no words to describe the 2014 Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend. Pulling all the stops, the event was not only massive  but was also, and most importantly, pure magic. The Dinah 2014 was filled with special moments, unforgettable firsts, and significant milestones.

Thousands of women from all over the world gathered in Palm Springs over this past weekend to attend the 24th anniversary of the biggest lesbian event of its kind on the planet, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend – the original Dinah Shore Weekend.

The Dinah 2014 was all about celebration, living out loud and transforming lives.
The legendary annual 5-day event not only provided a life changing experience to all attendees offering them the freedom to be who they truly are and gain a tremendous amount of self worth, but also to its epic slate of Top Ten Billboard headliners that made up one hell of a line up – one of the greatest in The Dinah’s history.

Tegan and Sara’s sold out concert marked the first time the lesbian cult favorites performed at an all lesbian event. The Canadian twin sisters gave an emotionally heartfelt speech on stage about how they’ve always dreamed of attending The Dinah.

Rap titan EVE, who drew massive crowds, enjoyed her Dinah experience so much that she joined the crowd on the dance floor after her electrifying show. Mary Lambert, the voice behind Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ VMA award-winning pro-equality  “Same Love”, brought the crowd to tears at theSunday Pool Party with a live performance that can only be described as stunningly divine. Meanwhile Grammy Award-Winning R&B diva, Evelyn “Champagne” King raised the roof with her multi-million selling classic old-school smashes  “Shame” and ”Love Come Down”.

Also, hip-hop’s biggest revelation, Iggy Azalea, whose brand new single “So Fancy” is currently sitting at # 1 on several music charts around the world, gave a killer performance during the White Party delivering her spellbinding rap songs with effortless repartee and leaving Dinah audiences in complete awe. Having played an integral part in catapulting the careers of international superstars in the likes of Lady Gaga, Kesha, Kathy Perry and The Pussycat Dolls – all Dinah alumnae – the Aussie blonde bombshell is certifiably already on her way to follow the footsteps of her predecessors.

Another smash hit at this year’s monumental Dinah Shore Weekend was the L Word Pool Party hosted in association with Showtime.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, the event had to be extended (at the last minute) to Sunday as well due to overwhelming response.

The L Word reunion was a Dinah exclusive with the series icons, Laurel Holloman selling her abstract art poolside, and Leisha Hailey and Katherine Moennig hosting a meet-and-greet that wrapped around the side of the entire pool area of the Hilton hotel.

As 2014 marked the 10th Anniversary of the official television debut of The L Word, Club Skirts and SHOWTIME proudly commemorated the nostalgia of a memorable era in lesbian culture that celebrated out loud our “girls in tight dresses who drag with mustaches”.

All in all, The Dinah 2014 was beyond EPIC – significantly the largest Dinah EVER.
The legendary Palm Springs’ signature event broke all records on so many different levels and proved to be an unprecedented massive success.
A cultural phenomenon that has over these past 24 years reached stratospheric proportions,The Dinah has certifiably come to represent an ever-growing movement that has crossed over to mainstream bringing more and more visibility to the lesbian community – one that had never existed before.

As The Dinah 2014 came to a close, we all departed Palm Springs with profound nostalgia for a one-of-a-kind weekend that gifted our hearts with unforgettable memories and changed our lives forever.

We can now all look forward to next year as the Dinah turns 25, April 1-5, 2015.
Club Skirts founder and producer, Mariah Hanson, is already planning for the milestone Silver Jubilee’s Anniversary, which promises to be like nothing we’ve ever seen before.

Follow us on Twitter: @dinahshore
Connect with us on Facebook: Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend
#thedinah14

The legendary Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend – the biggest lesbian event of its kind in the world – is confirmed to be hosting the an official Gay Games-sanctioned women party this summer in Cleveland, Ohio.

The announcement comes on the heels of the massive success of this past April’s Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, CA, which broke all attendance records and garnered extensive national and worldwide media coverage.

Impressed with the outstanding achievement of Mariah Hanson – the mastermind behind The Dinah – and her team in organizing for over two decades such a high profile event featuring such an elite group of high caliber performers, organizers of the 2014 Cleveland Games handpicked the event producer extraordinaire to  produce the official lesbian party for Gay Games 9 (GG9).

“We’re immensely honored to be joining forces with the entire Gay Games 9 team and have no doubt our combined efforts will turn this incredibly formidable LGBT Sport and Cultural event into the best one ever,” says Mariah Hanson, founder and producer of Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend.

The bash dubbed “The Victory Party” will take place starting at 8:00pm EST August 13 at The Velvet Dog, Cleveland’s premiere nightclub & dance destination for 15 years.

“We are thrilled to be teaming up with Mariah Hanson and beyond excited to be bringing such a staple event in LGBT culture to the Velvet Dog,” says club manager Georgina Karim.

Voted Cleveland’s BEST Nightclub for the past five years in a row, The Velvet Dog is located in the warehouse district, a bastion of nightlife in the heart of the city.

“The Dinah team is honored to bring our special brand of high octane event production laced with first class entertainment and music to Cleveland’s Gay Games. We couldn’t have picked a better host location than the Velvet Dog, the premiere nightclub in Cleveland. Plus we love the idea of a rooftop patio! We’re expecting a sell out crowd and plan to deliver an unforgettable event, Dinah style,” says Mariah Hanson.

The “Victory” party will mark Club Skirts’ second Gay Games participation. Hanson previously produced the largest women’s event in 2006 at the navy pier in Chicago, IL, showing Club Skirts’ enduring commitment to securing the nicest locations available to showcase the host city.

Presented by the Cleveland Foundation, Gay Games 9 is one of the biggest sports & cultural festivals in the world and comes to the Cleveland and Akron areas August 9-16, 2014.

“Here at Gay Games 9 we are excited to welcome everyone to our region and especially all the women of the world and what better partners to collaborate with then the most Amazing, Club Skirts, The Dinah.  This will be “THE” Party to attend for all of the women.  So, come celebrate “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best”  as we embrace and unite as one, “ says Michelle DeLozier, Gay Games 9 Culture Co-Chair.

Open to all adults – regardless of sexual orientation or athletic ability – Gay Games 9 will host 11,000 participants from all over the world (including countries where homosexuality remains illegal and hidden), and will feature more than 35 sports, band and choral competitions, and community and cultural events.

Launched over thirty years ago, the large scale, weeklong event is about more than just an Olympic-style sporting competition with spectacular ceremonies and parties; it is first and foremost about a celebration of the LGBT community and a celebration of the spirit of unity and diversity.  This message holds particular significance as Ohio, while recently ordered to recognize out-of-state gay marriages, still remains in the nationwide race to legalize same-sex marriage in its own state.

Both Mariah Hanson and organizers of the 2014 Cleveland Games see the event as not only a chance to show that the industrial Midwest can be gay-friendly, but also as an important potential catalyst for change.

Hanson has been sending a strong message of inclusion through the Dinah.
The event has not only come to embody the very notion of living life out loud, but has also been systematically transforming lives.

“Club Skirts has been passionately committed to extending its involvement beyond the actual Dinah in promoting and showcasing the rich diversity of our LGBT talents by engaging in and supporting events that create and enhance opportunities for our community,” comments Hanson. “We look forward to Gay Games week and can’t wait to ignite Cleveland’s lesbian nightlife.”

Stay tuned as Mariah Hanson will be announcing the headlining act in the coming weeks.

Tickets to the event are $25 per person, or $50 for VIP, which includes bottle service opportunity, and access to all VIP areas in all three floors as well as the spectacular roof top patio that overlooks the entire city of Cleveland.

Information about Gay Games 9 is available at: www.Gaygames.com

Palm Spring, CA - The Center – a Palm Springs, CA based organization serving the desert LGBT community – is honoring Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend founder and producer, Mariah Hanson, with the first ever  “ Legacy Award” for her invaluable contribution to the Coachella Valley LGBT community.

The 5th Annual Center Stage Gala presented by Eisenhower Medical Center will be held on Friday, November 7th, 2014 at The Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, CA.

Hanson’s visionary leadership as the founder of one of the Coachella Valley’s largest tourism boosters and undisputed biggest lesbian event of it kind in the world, the legendary Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend  (aka “The Dinah”) makes her the perfect choice as the first recipient of this inaugural award.

Presented by The Center, the LEGACY award is a brand new distinguished honor, which pays tribute to remarkable individuals exemplifying the highest level of achievement and professional excellence when it comes to leading and travailing for the advancement of the LGBT community.

“When considering those who have made a lasting impact on the desert’s LGBT community, Mariah Hanson’s name quickly rose to the top. Her vision for an all-women’s event has become the largest lesbian event of its kind in the world. This is Mariah’s legacy to our community and our reason for recognizing and celebrating her outstanding accomplishment,” says Mike Thompson, Executive Director at the LGBT Community Center of The Desert.

Hanson’s incredible accomplishment with The Dinah has for the past 25 years continuously created a viable platform for the advancement of the LGBT community.

Transforming lives and making a difference in and for the LGBT community, The Dinah offers an unparalleled one-of-a-kind experience for myriads of women who come from all over the world to enjoy the freedom to be who they truly are without fearing the judgment of others, and gain, as well, a tremendous amount of self worth.

Over the course of a quarter of a century, The Dinah has not only been changing lives, but also spearheading music careers. Building on its reputation as the ultimate entertainment hub Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has positioned itself not only as an event the entertainment industry’s most elite go to but also as a trendsetting event that music industry insiders watch and jockey to book their artists’ performances.

The Dinah is one of the only all-girl parties featuring a phenomenal line-up of talent ever to perform at a lesbian event. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Colbie Caillat, India Arie, The Pussycat Dolls, Kesha and more recently Iggy Azalea, are just a few examples of major recording artists that headlined the epic event while still “unknown” and then systematically went on to hit international superstardom.

More than just an event promoter extraordinaire, Hanson is first and foremost an avant-garde business entrepreneur and exemplary community leader, who in a little over two decades has created an unsurpassed cultural and social phenomenon and built an impressive empire turning a small one-night event with 1,500 participants into a five-day bash with some 15,000-plus participants, booking entire hotels and securing major corporate sponsors.

The 5th Annual Center Stage Gala will open with a Reception & Silent Auction at 5:30 PM, followed by a sit-down Dinner and Entertainment at 7 PM, hosted by the quick witted Kate Clinton and concert by the nationally recognized singing string quartet Well-Strung.  The Center will also honor Judge Vaughn R. Walker (Ret) with the “Vanguard” Award.

Already expected to be one of the highlights of the Coachella Valley social season, the Center Stage soiree not only stands as a fun kick-off to Palm Springs Pride, but also as the perfect opportunity for The Dinah to stamp its mark in its highly anticipated upcoming April 2015 milestone 25th Anniversary.

For more information or to purchase a ticket, call 760-416-7790 or go to www.thecenterps.org/events/centerstage

For more information about Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, visit: www.thedinah.com

The legendary Dinah Shore Weekend, founded and produced by Mariah Hanson under her Club Skirts marquee, has officially commenced the six-months long celebration of its Silver Anniversary.

April 1-5, 2015 Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is turning twenty-five and taking the event to a new zenith.

Twenty-five years of excellence and unwavering commitment to deliver world-class entertainment and top notch customer service that continue as Mariah Hanson and her team commemorate the landmark by honoring the partnerships that have been part of the amazing journey and contributed to the event’s stratospheric success.

A quarter-century ago, Mariah Hanson did more than just kick-start her Dinah. She also and most importantly launched what would become her enduring legacy to both the city of Palm Springs and the LGBT community.

From a small, one-night event at a Palm Springs museum with 1,500 participants twenty-five years ago, to booking lavish locations at deluxe hotels over five days of epic pool parties and world-class entertainment with some 15,000-plus attendees and major corporate sponsors today, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has evolved into one of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley’s largest tourism boosters and undisputed biggest lesbian event of its kind in the world.

The natural symbiosis shared by these two iconic LGBT Mecca has continuously been a match made in heaven. More than a tradition The Dinah Shore Weekend has over these past 25 years (and counting) become a Palm Springs institution and one of the city’s most popular spring attractions.

Once the party pied-a-terre of Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack, who turned Palm Springs into America’s most glamorous destination for the glitterati in the 1950s, the famous sunny oasis has now gotten back in the swing of things to once again reclaim its status as one of Hollywood’s hippest playground and the world hub for major high-profile festivals and special events.

The envy of the world with its 360-days of sunshine, the swanky modern city of glitz and glamour has been attracting a new generation of visitors from young hipsters, international jet-setters to Hollywood A-listers and socialites, who vie for the ultra-chic weekend getaway of martini-sipping, cabana lounging and celebrity sightseeing.

As one of the early pioneers, the Dinah has become one of Palm Spring staple events sharing the spotlight with the likes of the Coachella Music Festival, Stagecoach, The Palm Springs International Film Festival, the BNP Paribas Open Trophy, and the PGA and LPGA golf tournaments –all intrinsically linked to the famous desert community.

In the span of twenty five years The Dinah has cemented its status as not only an event the entertainment industry’s most elite go to but also as a trendsetting event that music industry insiders watch and jockey to book their artists’ performances.

It is the only acknowledged all-girl party that features such a phenomenal line-up of talent to ever to perform at a lesbian event. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Colbie Caillat, India Arie, The Pussycat Dolls, Kesha and more recently Iggy Azalea, are just a few examples of major recording artists that headlined the epic event while still “unknown” and then systematically went on to hit international superstardom.

While The Dinah has been spearheading music careers, it has, most importantly, also been transforming lives and making a difference in and for the LGBT community. Offering an unparalleled one-of-a-kind experience for myriads of women who come every year from all over the world to enjoy the freedom to be who they truly are without fearing the judgment of others, and gain, as well, a tremendous amount of self worth.

The event has also been serving as a platform to mobilize the LGBT community around humanitarian projects and social issues, famously partnering in previous years with a variety of activist associations and charity organizations such as GLAAD, HRC, NOH8, Love is Louder, Equality California, and The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center among others.

The Dinah has certifiably come to represent an ever-growing movement that has crossed over to mainstream bringing more and more visibility to the lesbian community – one that had never existed before.

Now ready to soar to new heights, the 25th installment of The Dinah is already expected to be one of the major highlights of the 2015 Palm Springs festival season.

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is not just breaking grounds; it is making history!

ICONIC CAST MEMBERS KATE MOENNIG (SHANE), LEISHA HAILEY (ALICE) AND LAUREL HOLLOMAN (TINA) EXCLUSIVELY REUNITE AT THE DINAH’S “L WORD POOL PARTY” PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH SHOWTIME

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has just announced the addition of Laurel Holloman to its celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the L Word’s TV premiere.

Holloman, better known as Tina Kennard, will be joining her former co-stars Kate Moennig (Shane McCutcheon) and Leisha Hailey (Alice Pieszecki) for an exclusive cast member reunion at the Dinah’s “L Word Pool Party” presented in association with Showtime.

The L Word actress and accomplished painter will be showing and selling her prints of a series entitled “Written on the Body”, poolside at the Palm Springs Hilton Hotel, all day, Saturday, April 5 during the L Word Pool Party and Sunday April 6 during the “Wet & Wild Pool Party”.

Holloman’s appearance at the Dinah will mark her second exclusive private showing for Club Skirts, something she wanted to give to her fans and art lovers for their continuous support. Dinah attendees will be able to purchase posters of her pieces and meet with The L Word star that will be on hand to personally sign each copy.

We all remember the famous episode in Season One that saw Shane, Alice, Jenny, and Dana embark on an eventful road trip to The Dinah. Not only did we found out about Bette and Tina’s first kiss, were privy to a few comical moments between the gang, got introduced to weird Tonya, but most importantly we also were given for the first time ever on national TV an exclusive preview of what the legendary Dinah Shore weekend was all about.

Now a decade later, Club Skirts and SHOWTIME are proudly commemorating the nostalgia of a memorable era in lesbian culture that celebrated out loud our “girls in tight dresses who drag with mustaches” with three of its most beloved characters!

Holloman began her film career with her breakout role as Randy Dean in The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love. She has appeared in many independent and feature films including Boogie Nights and Tumbleweeds. Most recently she had an18 episode stint on TeenNick’s Gigantic, which co-starred Meryl Streep’s daughter Grace Gummer. But it was her iconic role as Tina Kennard opposite Jennifer Beals (aka Bette Porter) on The L Word that not only earned her a Golden Satellite Award as Best Actress in a Drama series, but also captured our hearts and forever got her the undivided attention of millions of lesbians around the world.

After acting for 20 years, she successfully made the transition to the art world solidifying her reputation as an established abstract expressionism artist known for using intense colors and mural-sized canvases.

Since the launch of her studio, LaurelHollomanStudio.net , Holloman’s artistic career has naturally evolved from painting for charities, to solo exhibits in Europe. After hosting her first two solo art shows “Coeur Libre” and “Free Falling” in Paris, France, and Venice, Italy, respectively, she recently presented her new exhibition of large scale murals called “All The World Inside” at the sumptuous “Palazzo Italia” in Berlin, Germany.

One of her greatest acknowledgement in the art world came in June 2013 when she was invited to exhibit her painting, “Swell,” in the 55th “Biennale”, the prestigious international arts festival held in Venice, Italy. In addition, in 2012  “Let Me Fall” sold for a record 125,000 Euros – a breaking price point record for female painters.

A true Renaissance woman, Holloman is at once a talented actress, exquisite painter and devoted mother to her two daughters Lola and Nala.  And before hopping on her next flight to Europe for another exhibition of her spectacular portfolio, she will be at The Dinah in Palm Springs, CA, autographing posters of her  “Written on the Body” artwork for fans to add to their L Word memorabilia collection!

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