Palm Springs, CA
In 1991, Mariah Hanson, founded the world-famous “The Dinah” one of the oldest and largest lesbian events in the world at the Palm Springs Modern Art Museum. Hanson had always loved hosting parties and creating feel good environments where people can easily make new friends, celebrate life, and leave with unforgettable memories.
Now, in 2024, The Dinah 2024 is coming back this September 25th to September 29th and still going strong.
We recently got to do an interview with the iconic party planner Mariah Hanson, and here is our conversation:
Eric Gray: What inspired you to create the Dinah Shore Festival, and how did the idea first come about?
Mariah Hanson: I conceived of the idea shortly after college. I was producing events in San Francisco for women and had been introduced to some earlier incarnations of the Dinah Shore weekend. I thought I could create something pretty marvelous so I threw my hat into the ring. My early inspiration was to elevate the event to the stature of events in Palm Springs encompassing women, golf, & parties.
Eric Gray: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early years of the festival, and how did you overcome them?
Mariah Hanson: Getting hotels. I started in 1990ish. My first event was in 1991 and Palm Springs was a lot more conservative than it is now. The concept of a queer women’s event was covering new ground for a conservative town so there was an issue getting long term and short term contracts with hotels. Palm Mountain Resort was the first hotel that gave us a chance. We sold out the hotel and also sold out Estrella Hotel, now the Avalon and booked the Palm Springs museum. A star was born.
Eric Gray: How has the Dinah Shore Festival evolved since its inception, and what changes have you seen in the community it serves?
Mariah Hanson: The festival has morphed into a first rate music festival. We have an impressive roster of past artist that have played the Dinah Stage. The success of our music choices have created an idea that the Dinah is a must have event for emerging artists. We really do have a first class music event. We are like the little engine that could. The community has evolved. In the beginning, we had to send out personal envelopes. People didn’t feel comfortable being out but over the span of 30 years, being out is more of a political statement. That’s not an issue anymore as when we started out. Queer women have really embraced the power of the group, as a gender, and have broken a lot of glass ceilings. It’s really a celebration of women and the community. We create and embrace inclusive expression. We support individuality under the umbrella that we are stronger when we work together.
Eric Gray: I noticed that Grammy Award Winner Billie Eilish has come out of the closet. You think it’s a possibility for her to perform at the Dinah Shore Festival?
Mariah Hanson: She would be a great person to perform. She might be a little out of our budget (laughs) but that would be great…
Eric Gray: How does the Dinah Shore Festival relate to Trans Women?
Mariah Hanson: The Dinah embraces all things female and their allies so we don’t believe in intolerance or leaving anyone out . We attract a wide variety of attendees, some of them are trans men, trans women, straight men, straight women, straight men who are friends with our attendees. We are adamant that if we want tolerance, you have to give tolerance. While Dinah is female driven, we don’t leave anyone out. The door is open to celebrate with us. It’s an extremely open format.
Eric Gray: What impact do you believe the Dinah Shore Festival has had on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly for women?
Mariah Hanson: I think it has had an incredibly strong impact. By primarily inviting queer women and their allies to live out loud for 5 days, to come celebrate in a way that inclusive and by living by the common theme we are celebrating our lives. We certainly are facing challenges, but we want to celebrate our successes. We are stronger together. Every life matters. That testament is pervasive thoughout the weekend. People walk through the party through pools and say “Happy Dinah.” It’s a joyous feeling that says we are here at the Dinah and it’s amazing to feel this type of inclusivity and acceptance
Eric Gray: Can you talk about some of the significant partnerships and collaborations that have been crucial to the festival’s ongoing success?
Mariah Hanson: We have great partnerships with the hotel industry and the City of Palm Springs. We are currently at Margaritaville. . It’s an incredible relationship for us. We were with Riviera before it changed over to the Margaritaville. We have a great relationship with the Hilton GM Aftab Dada. He is a major LGBTQ voice in the valley. He’s like Dinah’s big brother. Other great partner are corporate sponsors like Tito’s Vodka. We try to hit it out of the park for our sponsorships. We believe it is the road to equality. When a corporation sponsors our events, they are sending out a message that we are important. The City of Palm Springs has been a great friend to us. The city has always valued what we bring to the city, to the business, and we’ve always appreciated their commitment to diversity. Palm Springs is a model city.
Eric Gray: Can you share some of the most memorable moments from the festival’s history?
Mariah Hanson: For me personally, Chaka Kahn performing was one of my biggest highlights. Als, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga were major highlights. One Friday and one Saturday. That really opened the door for the music industry paying attention to Dinah. Outside of that, every year it’s a major highlight looking to help women celebrate their life in a life affirming way. That’s such a feel good.
Eric Gray: How do you ensure that the festival remains inclusive and diverse, welcoming people from all backgrounds?
Mariah Hanson: Well look, we have to invite people to the table. Anyone you are inviting have to see themselves. Advertisements have to be diverse. People need to feel invited and to have a place at the table. Our buzzwords are seen, valued, and heard.
Eric Gray: What are your hopes and plans for the future of the Dinah Shore Festival?
Mariah Hanson: I hope it continues to be the iconic international event that it is. We will do that by continuing to serve the community with integrity and vision and continuing to get great artists to play our roster.
Mariah Hanson Pictured With Her Partner Maureen Vanderpool
For more information on the Dinah Shore Festival, click here.