Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: February 16th, 2007
Date Festival, Indio, CA 1963
Smart striped tent tops provide an eventful backdrop for a bevy of Queen Scheherazade wannabes cupped and draped in gold trimmed chiffon. They ride high in one of Detroit’s spaciest space age offerings – the all-new for 1962 Polara Convertible by Dodge. Italian sports cars inspired the startling design. WARNING: the abstract relationship between the flared front fenders, cockeyed in-n-outset headlights, teardrop bumper guards and tucked-in turn signals has the power to hypnotize if studied too long. The pretend Arab sheik on the right is clearly experiencing a mesmerizing moment of his own. It’s not difficult to see why.
The odd, sweet, petite fruit of the palm, the date, inspired the first Riverside County Fair and Date Festival in Indio in 1921. This weekend the annual tradition continues. Highlights include the Blessing of the Dates ceremony, ostrich and camel races, Arabian Nights Musical Pageant, and most importantly the crowning of Queen Scheherazade. Arab dress is optional, but encouraged for spectators. www.datefest.org
The Palm Springs Modernism show is also happening in the desert this weekend. It’s a air-conditioned convention hall filled with vendors peddling marvelous mid-century wares to people with deep pockets, and lookie-loos like me. It’s a great show. So on your way to or from the date festival come on by. The show is the kickoff to Palm Springs Modernism Week. I will be part of the festivities performing my Retro Slide Show Tour of Southern California, which will include a special section on the desert, this Wednesday, Feb 21, 7:30 at the Camelot Theater in Palm Springs. www.modernismweek.com.
Here’s to the Italian influence, Arab dress, mid-century modern and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
February 2007
7 Comments on “Date Festival, Indio, CA 1963”
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February 16th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Hola Charles ! Great to see you the other evening. You forgot about that crazy long running show “The Sex Life of a Date”.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I KNEW I should have gone to the Modernism show! You will be the crowning experience of the weekend I’m sure, Charles!
I have a feeling the Sheik of Araby is staring at the Torqueflite Transmission array, push buttons ever so conveniently located to the left of the steering wheel. No more unsightly shift lever to block the view of that fab dashboard!
February 18th, 2007 at 10:42 am
thank you for sharing!
February 19th, 2007 at 8:20 am
You sure he’s not staring at the women? Hmmm, a Dodge Polara convertible. Wonder why I haven’t heard of that one. I’m reading an interesting book called The Big Book of Car Culture. Very fascinating. Sounds like a good gig you got with the slides for modernism
week. Check the book out when you get a chance.
February 19th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Can you imagine the reaction if some real desert-dwelling Arabs showed up for the festival? I’ll bet they’d win the camel race.
February 19th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
I’ve known about the Indio Date Festival for years but, I’ve never gone! (Maybe because it’s
about 100 miles from where I live?) On the other hand, I thought even when new the Dodge
cars for ‘62 were ugly things, foreign influence or not.
February 23rd, 2007 at 9:01 am
My husband and I finally made it out to the date festival last weekend. Why?? Because I LOVE dates and date shakes and did enjoy one there (though the date shake at Hadley”s on the way out of town I thought much tastier).Did you know that is a National festival? So small I will never need to go again-but glad I did. Loved Palm Springs though and am glad it looks better than ever. Really wish we could have seen your slide show-hope to catch you in Brea!