PALM SPRINGS — More than 2,000 community members will unite in Ruth Hardy Park on Saturday, Oct. 20, to walk in the 32nd Desert AIDS Walk.

Hosting the main stage for the second year in a row will be Bryan Gallo and Thalia Hayden from NBC Palm Springs.  DAP Chief Development Officer Darrell Tucci will speak about how money from the walk will be used at Desert AIDS Project and why their support is essential to the mission of the organization.

He will introduce Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon who will be joined on stage by his fellow council members, Geoff Kors, JR Roberts, Lisa Middleton and Christy Holstege, to welcome walkers.  Elected officials scheduled to take the stage include:  Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel “Manny” Perez, Assemblymember Chad Mayes, and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. in Ruth Hardy Park and walkers are encouraged to come early to explore the Health and Wellness Festival presented by Walgreens featuring 40 different booths, complimentary coffee and pastries courtesy of Koffi Palm Springs and a DJ who will be playing high energy music before the walk begins.

This year’s walk, with the theme of ‘Community Action Impact,’ will follow a 2.5 mile route through downtown Palm Springs and is notable for the diversity of community members who come together as teams each year to support D.A.P. and our twelve community partners.  The event is family and pet friendly with water stations along the route.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
8:00 AM – Walk Registration \ Wellness Festival
8:15 AM – Welcome Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon and Palm Springs City Council Members
8:20 AM – DAP Chief Development Officer Darrell Tucci
8:30 AM – Check Presentations
8:40 AM – Elected Officials – Remarks
9:00 AM – Keisha D Performs
9:20 AM – Warm Up led by Urban Yoga
9:30 AM – Walk Kick-Off
10:30 AM – Walkers Return to Ruth Hardy Park – Complimentary Lunch sponsored by Sysco Riverside

D.A.P. Director of Community Health, Bruce Weiss believes that, more than ever, the Coachella Valley needs the Desert AIDS Walk.  “I’ve heard people ask, ‘Why do we still need a Desert AIDS Walk?”  said Weiss, “Isn’t the epidemic over? These are twenty reasons I’m walking on October 20th in the Desert AIDS Walk.”

The students of Digicom Learning created this short film about the history of Desert AIDS Walk

2018 Desert AIDS Walk Sponsors

Desert AIDS Walk Presenting Sponsor are: Desert Care Network
Health & Wellness Festival Presenting Sponsor: Walgreen’s
Major sponsors: Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Desert Oasis Healthcare, Gilead, Grace Helen Spearman Foundation, Koffi, NBC Palm Springs, Sysco-Riverside, and The Desert Sun.

Other Sponsors: Revivals Stores, The Standard Magazine, Gay Desert Guide, Promo Homo TV, GED Magazine, CV Independent, Forest Lawn, Sempra, Barkingham Pet Hotel California, Palm Springs Disposal Services, Palm Tree Clinical Research