Modernism Week in Palm Springs will once again tantalize architectural fans with a fall “season kick-off” over the Columbus Day holiday weekend, Oct. 11-14. The three-day weekend’s schedule of events will include architectural tours, a retro “yard” sale, a swanky cocktail party, Modernism Week Double Decker Bus Tours, and more.
Modernism Week’s signature February Event is an annual celebration of mid-century modern design, architecture, art, fashion, and culture. This exciting “festival” takes place in February in the Palm Springs area of Southern California.
In addition to the events in February, Modernism Week hosts the “Fall Season Kick-Off” over Columbus Day weekend in mid-October. Partner organizations collaborate to produce a “mini-Modernism Week” to commence the active social and recreational season in Palm Springs.
Modernism Week is also a charitable organization, providing scholarships to local students pursuing college educations in the fields of architecture and design, as well as supporting local and state preservation organizations in their efforts to preserve modernist architecture throughout the state of California.
In this trendy Mid-Century tract development of Vista Las Palmas, the classic homes are affectionately nicknamed “The Alexanders” (in honor of the developers George and Robert Alexander). The talented team of Daniel Palmer and William Krisel were the primary architects. Although created through mass production, these stunning homes appear to be custom-designed.
With the luxurious El Mirador Hotel as its centerpiece, the Movie Colony was developed in the 1930s and 1940s. In this tranquil neighborhood lived some of Hollywood’s biggest stars such as Cary Grant, Dinah Shore, Van Johnson, Tony Curtis, Gloria Swanson, and Jack Benny. Frank Sinatra made it “his” neighborhood in the 1950s when his home, known as “Twin Palms,” became “party central.
Walk among the stars in this prestigious and historic neighborhood. Old Las Palmas began its development in the late 1920s and 1930s and has one of the highest concentrations of celebrity homes anywhere. Elizabeth Taylor, Kirk Douglas, Katharine Hepburn, Gene Autry, Lena Horne, Dinah Shore and many other Hollywood stars have been residents here.