DIVA headed to the 35th anniversary of this iconic event
BY MAZ GORDON, IMAGES BY RADskillZ
I was already in America when I realised The Dinah was only a week away – and I was so close, I simply had to go.
This was the 35th annual Dinah, attracting thousands of queer women to Palm Springs. Thirty-five years is impressive for any festival, never mind a lesbian one.
We arrived on Thursday and Palm Springs was everything I remembered: blue skies, sunshine, palm trees and mountains. Then we entered the festival and found what I can only describe as lesbian soup.
The pools were literally wall-to-wall women: older, younger, every shape and size, butch, femme and everything in between. My trans friend had worried she might be the only trans woman there. Within minutes, we bumped into trans women we’d previously met at a Scottish lesbian festival.
Friday’s Singles & Solos event had hundreds of women attending. The host pulled women aside, interviewed them and essentially auctioned them off. It apparently worked, because women rapidly began pairing up! We met couples from Britain and Switzerland who told us they return year after year.
That night was the Black & White Ball. My friend and I bought matching black-and-white “Dinah Virgins” T-shirts – although technically I was cheating, having attended 15 years earlier.
The entertainment runs almost constantly. Friday’s headliner was hip-hop legend Da Brat, whose 1994 debut Funkdafied made her the first solo female rapper to sell a million albums. South London’s British-Colombian R&B singer Sasha Keable also performed, fresh from a career surge including her acclaimed Tiny Desk performance.
Saturday brought comedy from Cameron Esposito, Pink Foxx and A.B. Farrelly, followed by The Aces and queer-pop superstar Hayley Kiyoko. Nicknamed “Lesbian Jesus” by fans, Kiyoko’s Girls Like Girls has grown from a song into a bestselling novel and, this year, her feature directorial debut.
For those like me who like to work out, mornings started with a 10am workout followed by pool games. I remain amazed by women capable of partying all night and then voluntarily exercising the following morning.
What I loved most, though, wasn’t the celebrity line-up. It was how friendly everyone was. We made new friends every day – people invited us for lunch, drinks or simply to chill by their hotel pool.
I also interviewed Dinah founder Mariah Hanson, who recently handed the festival over to longtime Dinah team members Bella Barkow and Rose Garcia. I asked how she’d found the energy to keep it going for 35 years. Surprisingly, she said it became easier as it grew: success meant being able to employ great managers and book bigger performers. Now she’s enjoying staying involved as a consultant without carrying the stress of running the whole thing.
When I asked women why they came to The Dinah, the answer was surprisingly simple: the women.
For one glorious week, Palm Springs becomes sapphic central. The pools, hot tubs, coffee shops and bars fill with queer women.
We danced, we laughed, and we made friends we’ll stay in touch with. Maybe that’s why, 35 years later, women keep coming back.
Love media made by and for LGBTQIA+ women and gender diverse people? Then you’ll love DIVA. We’ve been spotlighting the community for over 30 years. Here’s how you can get behind queer media and keep us going for another generation: linkin.bio/ig-divamagazine
Did you know that DIVA has now become a charity? Our magazine is published by the DIVA Charitable Trust. You can find out more about the organisation and how you can offer your support here: divacharitabletrust.com
