‘Modernism Week – October’ Sneak Preview

Over 50 Events to be Offered Over Four Exciting Days

By Ken MacIntyre

August 1, 2024 (Palm Springs) – Summer’s not even half over and it’s already time to start thinking about the Fall. No, not Back-to-School or Halloween, but rather, “Modernism Week – October,” the desert’s mini-Modernism celebration of all things Midcentury in Palm Springs.

Similar to the 11-day Modernism Week that takes place annually in February (which, next year will celebrate 20 years!), “Modernism Week – October” will feature architecture tours, cocktail soirées, lectures, vintage events and more … all packed into 4 fun-filled days.

“Modernism Week – October” will take place October 24-27, 2024. Tickets can be purchased online at  ModernismWeek.com 

Here’s a comprehensive list of events – courtesy of Modernism Week – so you can begin planning your fall visit:

Welcome to the Villa Cornelia, photo by Tom Ellicott

New events this year:

• Sinatra’s Rat Pack Homes & Hangouts Bus Tour (10/24 and 10/27, $100) Climb aboard a double-decker bus and experience the Palm Springs homes and hangouts of the members of the iconic Rat Pack and their era.
• Discover Historic Bel Air Estates in Idyllic Indian Wells (10/24, $125) This first-time walking home tour presents the perfect opportunity to discover an exceptional two-mile area of ungated Indian Wells. The tour includes four distinct midcentury homes and a sumptuous poolside reception at a 1964 William Cody-designed house.
• Firebird Estates Inaugural Neighborhood Home Tour (10/25, $50) This exclusive inaugural home tour showcases five meticulously preserved Firebird Estates units that feature striking rooflines, expansive windows, and serene, landscaped grounds.
• Villa Cornelia: A Gem in Old Las Palmas (10/27, $45) This tour of one of the gems of the Old Las Palmas neighborhood is the finest examples of Palm Springs’ early “romantic” architecture.
• Desert Stardust: Contemporary Uptown Design District (10/24 – 10/27, $45) This walking tour showcases the second homes of celebrities such as Clark Gable and Carole Lombard and explores an area of Palm Springs that features elegant midcentury modern designs side-by-side with dramatic Spanish Colonial-style structures.

Celebrate Modernism with a Bus Tour, photo by David A. Lee

Bus Tours

Architectural bus tours are one of the most popular programs offered during Modernism Week. There are many options from which to choose:

• Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus Tour (10/24-27, $130) Modernism Week’s signature and popular bus tour provides guests with an overview of the most significant midcentury architectural treasures of Palm Springs.
• Charles Phoenix Super Duper Double Decker Bus Tour (10/24-27, $160) Experience midcentury architectural treasures with retro pop culture humorist Charles Phoenix.
• Twilight Architectural Bus Tour (10/24 and 10/25, $100) This tour provides guests with a 1-hour evening view of some of the most significant midcentury architectural treasures of Palm Springs at twilight.
• Bella da Ball Bus Tour (10/25 and 26, $100) Bella da Ball, emcee/show producer/event planner with big hair, long legs, and short skirts, will guide this twilight tour of architecture related to Hollywood connections, entertainment, night clubs, and celebrity homes.
• The Homes That Define Palm Springs Bus Tour (10/24– 27, $100) This 90-minute tour features some of the most popular neighborhoods in Palm Springs, showcasing the most spectacular home styles.

Those looking for a more intimate bus tour might consider Midcentury Top Ten Tour: Ten Architects Who Made Palm Springs Modern (10/25 and 10/26, $130) Led by top-rated architectural tour guide Trevor O’Donnell, this small, enclosed motor coach (22-seats) allows participants to learn about the “desert modernist” style for which Palm Springs has become famous. It is a fun, fascinating traveling group discussion designed to showcase the Palm Springs architects whose humble work in a small desert town ended up captivating the world.

Tiki Oasis-Desert Lanai 4 Cocktail Party & Home Tour, photo by Cliff Schiappa

Home Tours

Modernism Week provides exclusive tours of distinctive residences including:

Modernism Week Featured Home Tour: The Shag House (10/24 – 10/27, $40) Back by popular demand! The artist Shag has reimagined this 1958 midcentury Modern home, creating a fully immersive tour experience that will make visitors feel as though they have climbed into a life-size Shag painting.

• Sunnylands Historic House Tour (2/24 – 2/27, $75)
• Frey House II Tour + Museum Day Passes (10/24 – 10/27, $75 tour, $125 tour and twilight reception)
• House of Tomorrow Tour (10/24 – 10/27, $55 tour, $100 tour and twilight reception)
• Exclusive Fairway Tour of Tamarisk Country Club’s Architectural Legends, Presented by Preservation Mirage (10/26, $125)
• Frank Sinatra’s “Twin Palms” Estate Tour (10/24, $50)
• ONE-PS Modernism Week Home Tour (10/26, $100)
• Tiki Oasis: Desert Lanai 4 Cocktail Party & Home Tour (10/26, $100)
• Six Architectural Gems of Canyon Country Club Tour (10/26, $125)
• ONE-PS Modernism Week Home Tour (10/26, $100)

Cul de Sac “Swinging ’66”

Special Events

Each year, Modernism Week provides a variety of special events for guests. This year, these include:

• Cul de Sac “Swinging ‘66” (10/27, $85) This is the event everyone is talking about. Experience six intact William Krisel homes on tour (interior and exterior), classic cars, a vintage vinyl DJ, go-go dancers, and much more. The six homes showcase architectural details that define the Palm Springs School of midcentury modern architecture and there is a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the pool and extensive garden areas, sensitively redesigned with drought-tolerant desert landscaping. Everyone leaves with a souvenir booklet filled with history, photos and vintage ads.
• Palm Springs Modernism Fall Show (10/26 -27, $25) The 10th annual Palm Springs Modernism Fall Show features many dealers new to the show as well as returning dealers that have participated in previous shows. The Fall Show will feature nearly 50 premier national exhibitors offering vintage furniture, decorative and fine art representing all design movements of the 20th century and 21st century contemporary design. Weekend show hours are Saturday, October 26, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 27, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tickets are $25, include return entry all weekend, and may be purchased in advance or at the door.
• Sunny Side of the Street (10/25 and 10/26, $195) PS UNDERGROUND invites guests to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience of music and ambience that pays tribute to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a four-course dinner with free-flowing cocktails.
• Midcentury Mixology Cocktail Class with Steen Bojsen-Moller at Mr. Lyons (10/24 – 10/27, $80) Join this spirited midcentury cocktail-making clinic at the historic Mr. Lyons restaurant.
• Curated Vintage Event (10/26, $25 and $15) Retailers and private dealers showcase their finest vintage apparel, luxury items, textiles, jewelry, and accessories.

Twin Palms Guided Walking Tour

Other Tours

Additional tours of significant architectural locations this October include:

• Twin Palms Guided Walking Tour: An Insider’s Perspective of the Desert’s First Modernist Neighborhood (10/24 – 10/27, $45) Experience the desert’s first Modernist neighborhood on the only tour guided by a neighborhood resident and author.
• Temple Isaiah: The Evolution of Classical to Extreme Modernism (10/24 and 10/25, $50) This guided media presentation and walking tour of two sanctuaries includes the 1950s E. Stewart Williams modernist-designed Liberman Chapel and the 1980s David Christian’s brutalism-designed Bochner Sanctuary.
• Midcentury Sunny Cycle Tour by PS ModCom (10/24-27, $90) On this pedaling-optional tour, participants will enjoy the warm fall air while seeing and learning about the many architectural wonders in the prized neighborhoods of the Movie Colony, Las Palmas, Vista Las Palmas and the Historic Tennis Club.
• The Legacy of Mission 66 at Joshua Tree National Park (10/27, $25 or $55 with Park Pass) This event offers a unique opportunity to delve into the historical significance of Mission 66, the program dedicated to expanding visitor services and the modernization of National Park facilities.
• The Lautner Compound Tour (10/25, $60) “The Lautner” is famed American architect John Lautner’s 1947 residential fourplex formerly known as Hotel Lautner. Participants will immerse themselves in this spectacular and visionary architecture and also stroll through a 10,000 sq. ft. open air event space called “The Park” and tour a 1957 California bungalow. Evening tour goers will enjoy The Lautner Compound Twilight Wine and Nibbles Reception and Tour ($100, two hours).

Divinely Inspired, St. Theresa Catholic Church

Tours and Talks

This year, Modernism Week will present three tours that are supplemented with insightful talks about the structures. These include:

• Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour: A Completely Remastered Krisel (10/25, $65) Explore this never-before-toured Krisel gem on a cul-de-sac that has been completely transformed including adding striking curb appeal upgrades and stunning interior renovations. After walking through the home, enjoy a talk led by Atomic Ranch editor Jickie Torres with Steve Poehlein.
• Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour: An Architectural Rarity in Twin Palms (10/26, $65)
  In a sea of Alexander Company homes, this 1962 stunner in the Twin Palms neighborhood stands out for its unusual history. One of only two built by Fred Stein, Hollywood executive turned enigmatic local, it has been revived and refreshed as a stunning example of the best of Modernist style. Atomic Ranch editor Jickie Torres, the homeowner, and designer Thomas Eich of ModernistLogic will chat poolside and dive in to the captivating history of the home.
• Divinely Inspired: Discussing the William F. Cody Design of St. Theresa Catholic Church with Catherine Cody and Morris Skenderian A.I.A. (10/25 and 10/26, $45 and $95 with optional book) St. Theresa Catholic Church has long been heralded as a prized masterpiece of William F. Cody’s legacy. Catherine Cody, youngest daughter of William F. Cody, and architect Morris Skenderian, A.I.A. who had just joined Cody’s firm at the time the St. Theresa project began, will share stories, photos, drawings and talk about the artisans and craftspeople involved in making Cody’s design a reality.

Architectural Pottery Trina Turk Cocktail Party

Parties

• Preview Party for Palm Springs Modernism Fall Show (10/25, $95) Beat the crowds and enjoy a festive wine reception and early buying opportunity at the Palm Springs Modernism Fall Show. Preview party tickets include return entry to the show all weekend.
• The Mammoth Martini Party at The Shag House (10/25, $125) Back by popular demand, the Mammoth Martini Party returns with the artist Shag hosting this swinging house party.
• Cocktail Party and Book Signing: “Architectural Pottery” (10/25, free) The Trina Turk Palm Springs Boutique will host a festive cocktail party and opportunity to meet the three authors of the new book Architectural Pottery: Ceramics for a Modern Landscape.
• Caftan Soiree at The Shag House (10/26, $125) The Shag House celebrates the caftan as a staple of midcentury fashion.
• Shag’s October Modernism Print Release Party (10/26, free) Meet artist Shag and enjoy complimentary cocktails, live music and other fun surprises at the unveiling of Shag’s newest print and the debut of a limited edition sculpture “Ku-Kua” at The Shag Store in the Uptown Design District.

Free Events

Each year Modernism Week offers a robust range of free events. This October these include:

• Modernism Yard Sale (10/27)
• Hot Purple Energy Architectural Bike Ride (10/26)
• Canyon Country Club: History and Design of Palm Springs’ Garden of Eden (10/25)
• The Rebirth of Albert Frey’s Historic 1946 Bel Vista Tract in Palm Springs (10/25)
• Lost, Saved & Endangered: Modernist Architecture in Palm Springs (10/25)
• Red Tile Romance (10/25)

To purchase tickets to these “Modernism Week – October” events, visit ModernismWeek.com 

Tour this Airstream Trailer at the Palm Springs Modernism Fall Show